Estimated bills may be higher or lower than your actual usage, this article goes over why an estimated bill is made, what can be done to prevent this in future, and all other scenarios regarding estimated bills.
If your invoice has been estimated this can be due to the following
If you have a Smart Meter we may not have been able to receive the reading due to a power outage or communication error. We then automatically estimate your bill which can be higher or lower than your actual usage.
If you do not have a Smart Meter, your bill will be estimated as the meter reader would not have been able to gain access to the property due to either of the following (meter located inside, locked gate, dog).
What can I do to prevent receiving estimated bills
If your Smart Meter does have a communication error, please be sure to take a photo of your meter reading(s) so we can adjust any estimated charges and Live Chat with our team, so that investigate the Communication Fault. If the Communication Fault can not be resolved remotely we may need to send a technician to the property to look into this further. Please note there is no charge for a No Communication Fault job, however this can take time to restore communication to the meter due to third party involvement.
For properties with non-smart meters, you can take a photo of your meter reading(s) and send this to our team via Live Chat, we can also discuss access to the meter and if possible upgrading the meter to a smart meter (please note fees for a meter replacement may apply).
I have an estimated bill, however the estimate is higher then the actual reading shown on my meter
If your bill is based on an estimate and the estimate was higher than your usage. We'll adjust your bill the next time you get an Actual Read. Or you can provide our team with a photo of your meter reading(s) to correct any estimated charges.
Estimated or Actual Reads are noted on your bill with an 'E' or 'A' under Current Reading on the breakdown of your invoice charges.
I have an estimated bill, however the estimate is lower then the actual reading shown on my meter
If your bill is based on an estimate that is lower than your actual usage, it means you have been undercharged because we could not verify the actual reading when the bill was issued. Estimated bills may vary from your actual usage. Once a precise meter reading is obtained, we will adjust the charges to reflect your actual usage. We understand that receiving a higher-than-expected power bill is not ideal. If you need more time to pay or wish to set up a payment arrangement like Reliabill, please contact our team through Live Chat.
Why your bill may be higher than usual after an an actual meter reading
Frank Energy has recorded an actual meter reading after relying on estimated readings for previous bills, which were lower than the actual usage. As a result, you will be billed for the previously unaccounted usage. Essentially, this bill includes charges for the energy consumed in the past that wasn't captured in real-time readings.
We understand that receiving a high bill is not ideal. If you need more time to pay or wish to arrange a payment plan like Reliabill, please contact our team through Live Chat.