We read meters as part of monthly business and quarterly residential billing cycles.
There may be times when our meter readers are unable to read meters, or when we suspect the meter is not recording correctly.
Some of the reasons we estimate meter reads include locked gates preventing access, a pet making it unsafe to enter, something obstructing the meter or sometimes bad weather.
If we can’t access the meter, we’ll leave a card asking you to report the reading to us within 48 hours so we can provide you with an accurate bill. If we don't receive the reading from you we will estimate it and the read type on your bill will display as 'estimated'.
We may also estimate your bill if we suspect the meter is faulty and not recording usage correctly. In those situations we will estimate your bill until we are able to schedule a technician to inspect the meter.
We generally base estimates on the average past usage at the property during the same time of year, allowing for the changes in use between seasons.
Want to submit a meter reading? You will need to provide the meter number or property address and your contact details. If we need clarification on the reading we will contact you. Submit a meter reading.
Will my estimated bill be adjusted on my next bill cycle?
If we have estimated your bill because we couldn’t access the meter, your next bill will be adjusted to show the actual use (and PV export if applicable), as long as an actual meter reading is taken or provided. This sometimes shows an over- or under-estimate of your usage.
In the event of an over-estimate, the excess charge will be credited to your account. If you were undercharged, your next bill will be adjusted to show this.
Is an estimated bill valid?
An estimated bill is valid and payable, the same as a normal bill. Any adjustments will be reflected in the next bill.
What else can I do?
If your estimated bill costs more than you expect, compare your actual meter reading to the estimate.
If you feel your estimated bill is much higher than your actual you can contact us. For a fee, you may request a special meter reading to verify the estimate.
To reduce the chance of receiving an estimated bill, you can take steps to ensure the meter is easy for our meter readers to access.
If you have locked gates but still want your meter read, you can purchase a Power and Water padlock. The padlock comes with two keys for you and our meter reader will also have a key to access the meter. Contact us to arrange the purchase of a padlock. We require a $35 deposit to be paid up front. If you no longer require the padlock return it to us and we will refund the deposit.
We need at least one actual meter reading each year. If you receive three estimated meter reads in a 12-month period, we will leave a card for you to contact us and arrange for a physical reading.
Find out more about water meters and electricity meters.
In this video, Jonathan, Billing Manager explains how to submit your reading if we can't access your meter.
