Businesses mistakenly offered a remarkable but potentially expensive electricity deal last month have been given more time to think about Mercury Energy's revised offer.
The company confirmed it wanted the situation resolved as soon as possible but that no-one would be penalised for not accepting the new deal by the end of the month.
Mercury spokeswoman Marie Hosking yesterday said it would be "no big deal" if some of the 410 Dunedin businesses that received the offer had not accepted it before the deadline.
"No-one will be disadvantaged or miss out, but it's in everyone's interests to get these issues resolved so that the customers can get the financial benefit sooner," she said.
The assurance followed fears from some businesses that they could not accurately assess their own position before Mercury's offer lapsed.
The offer was to honour at least half the value of the savings the company mistakenly promised them in a series of custom-grabbing cold calls last month.
They were offered discounts of up to 30% - in one case worth about $16,000 a year - if they signed up over the phone.
Those who did were later told the deal was being withdrawn.
It emerged the deals did not take account of Dunedin line charges.
Company retail manager Luke Blincoe called it a significant "stuff-up".
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie last week urged Mercury to give the affected businesses more time to consider the new proposal.
Yesterday, he said understood the deadline was no longer "a hard and fast line in the sand".
"Mercury can't get around everyone by the end of the month, so this is a good acknowledgement that everyone needs time.
"But no-one and, understandably, Mercury, wants this dragging on for months and months."
Affected businesses last week learned they could pursue a raft of legal remedies if they tried to enforce the contract they had with Mercury.
Mr Christie said he was unaware of any businesses considering legal action.
Most seemed willing to talk directly to the company about the offer.
