"We’re a pub, so there’s nothing we can do," Mr Thompson said this week. He said he had offered numerous times to schedule appointments during the day so that he could open the premises for a meter reader to conduct a reading, to no avail. "I've even offered ... Australian Gas Networks my mobile number and invited them to come at 9am. Radio Bar's gas meter is in the courtyard at the back of the premises. Credit:Chris Hopkins

"[But] apparently they can't make an appointment." His frustration at the lack of communication between the supplier and distributor is palpable. "There’s no internal communication. Loading "I gave ... a physical reading from the meter, tried it twice ...

"Then the service provider admitted that they do do appointments, and AGL has sworn blind that they don't." After providing his own reading, his previous bill for $6644 (reduced to $5839 if he paid on time) was revised down to less than $200. He queried the estimated bills repeatedly and discovered they were based on the average usage of other businesses in the area deemed similar to his. Radio Bar has capacity for just 50 patrons, uses gas only for hot water and does not have a kitchen. It is in the same strip as restaurants with large industrial kitchens.

Asked how much gas he used at his bar, Mr Thompson said it was only for "a shower for one or two people and some water each day". "We got a quote from the service provider, and they basically do an estimation based on the other business in that area," he said. "We're near Cutler & Co, Marion and Charcoal Lane, they use a lot of gas and they're much bigger. Bar owner Paul Thompson received an estimated AGL gas bill for more than $8000. His actual usage in that period was around $80. "There's no comparison. Who actually puts together these bills?"

The last straw came when he queried his latest bill for more than $8000. This time the employee he spoke to said it was noted on the account that the amount was based on an actual meter reading, not an estimate. But that was a mistake. Loading "The $8000 showing on their system was as it was read. Then she looked at the service providers, actual people who were supposed to read the meter, and it turns out it wasn’t actually read." Soon after Fairfax Media contacted AGL about the matter on Friday afternoon, Mr Thompson received a call from a representative and was told his bill for the quarter would be revised down to $84.

An AGL spokesman confirmed Mr Thompson would be issued a revised bill based on his own reading. "We acknowledge that receiving estimated bills can be a source of frustration for our customers and apologise to this customer for his inconvenience," the spokesman said. "Distributors may provide us with estimated meter readings when they are unable to access a customer’s premises to read a meter. "As the premises is closed during the day, the distributor was unable to read the meter and, as a result, sent us usage data based on similar premises in the area. Thompson's previous estimated bill was for almost $6000.