Sumo penalty notices 2021 (wrongful disconnection)

Sumo has paid penalties totalling $500,000 after we issued 100 penalty notices on 30 November 2021. We issued the penalties to Sumo for arranging the alleged wrongful disconnection of customers in December 2020.

Sumo arranged for 142 customers to be disconnected on 14 December 2020, before the required six business day disconnection warning period had expired.

Sumo also arranged for one customer to be disconnected on 14 December 2020 without warning, despite the customer actively participating in a two-year payment plan to pay their arrears.

The Energy Retail Code requires retailers to give customers a disconnection warning period of six full business days before a disconnection can occur, and they must also act fairly and reasonably towards customers during the disconnection process.

Customers who are receiving tailored assistance in the form of a payment plan and who have not missed a payment must not be disconnected under the Code.