Why has my bill been estimated?
Your bill might be estimated if we couldn’t get an actual reading from your meter.
If you have a Smart Meter:
We may not have received your reading due to a power outage or a communication error.
When that happens, we’ll automatically estimate your usage — so your bill might be higher or lower than what you’ve actually used.
If you don’t have a Smart Meter:
A meter reader couldn’t access your meter (maybe it’s inside, behind a locked gate, or guarded by a friendly but protective dog).
In this case, we’ll estimate your usage to keep your billing on schedule.
How can I avoid estimated bills in the future?
For Smart Meters:
If there’s a communication issue, take a clear photo of your meter reading and send it to us via Live Chat.
We’ll use your photo to correct any estimated charges and check the meter’s communication.
If we can’t fix it remotely, we may send a technician to sort it out — no charge for a No Communication Fault visit, though it can take some time to resolve.
For non-Smart Meters:
Snap a photo of your reading and share it with us via Live Chat.
We can also chat about meter access or upgrading to a Smart Meter (fees may apply).
My estimated bill is higher than my actual reading
If your estimate is higher than your actual usage, no worries — we’ll fix it.
Once we get your next actual read, we’ll automatically adjust your bill.
Or, send us a photo of your meter reading and we’ll update your charges sooner.
You can check your bill — an ‘E’ means Estimated, and an ‘A’ means Actual under Current Reading.
My estimated bill is lower than my actual reading
If your estimate was too low, it means you’ve been undercharged.
When we get your next actual read, we’ll update your bill to reflect your true usage.
We get that a catch-up bill can sting. If you need more time to pay or want to set up a payment plan like Reliabill, chat with our team via Live Chat.
Why is my bill suddenly higher after an actual reading?
If we’ve been estimating your usage for a while and your latest bill includes an actual reading, it might look higher than usual.
That’s because it includes energy you’ve already used but hadn’t yet been billed for — now that we have an accurate reading, we’ve caught up on those past charges.
We understand a higher bill can be a surprise. If you’d like to discuss a payment plan or need extra time to pay, reach out via Live Chat.
Still unsure?
We’re always happy to help. Jump on Live Chat or send us a message — we’ll sort it out together.