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OEB inspects Wyse Meter Solutions for non-compliant billing practices

The licensed submetering provider has made an assurance of voluntary compliance (AVC).

September 10, 2019  By  Peter Saunders


The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has accepted an assurance of voluntary compliance (AVC) from licensed submetering provider Wyse Meter Solutions, following an inspection into its information disclosure and billing practices.

Filed earlier this month, the AVC relates to how Wyse discloses fees and charges to consumers and, in particular, its billing model for student residences, where several students share a suite with a common electricity meter.

The OEB’s inspection found Wyse was (a) not disclosing its fees and charges on the first bill sent to a customer, as required by Ontario’s Energy Consumer Protection Act, (b) not disclosing all fees and charges in its contract with customers, as required by the OEB’s Unit-Sub Metering Code, and (c) not displaying all information required by the Ontario Energy Board Act on customer bills, including historical consumption.

In certain buildings where several students share a suite with one meter, the inspection found, Wyse would prorate consumption, such that the amount shown on each student’s bill was not the amount that student actually used in the billing period.

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Following the inspection, the OEB reports Wyse has made changes to its bills and contracts to rectify these issues for customers living in shared suites. The AVC is a binding commitment to ensure continued compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and includes payment of an administrative penalty of $65,000. Failure to abide by the binding terms could lead to enforcement action.

“The inspection and the AVC result in positive outcomes for Wyse customers,” says Brian Hewson, OEB vice-president (VP) of consumer protection and industry performance. “The changes will improve transparency and make the bills easier to understand.”


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