If you are a small business customer and have received an invoice with an estimated read, this may be due to meter readers being unable to gain access to your premises to provide us with an actual reading of your meter.

If you have received an invoice and consider it to be based on an inaccurate estimate, you can request an adjusted invoice by providing us with evidence of your own meter/s reading prior to the due date for payment of the invoice in question. If your provided meter reading meets our conditions described below, we will issue you with an adjusted bill based on the read you provide at no extra charge.

Conditions and process of applying for an adjusted estimate:

Please read and follow the instructions below carefully to ensure you supply acceptable information to enable us to adjust your invoice. Please ensure the process below is followed for all meters associated with the invoice.

What types of meters does this apply to?

This applies to meters of small customers that are manually read such as basic meters (accumulation meters).

This process is not applicable to Manually Read Interval Meters (MRIMs) or Smart Meters in Victoria. These meters are electronic meters that record how much electricity is used every 30 minutes.

Process for applying for an invoice adjustment

Please ensure you contact us with your estimate prior to the due date of the invoice in question. Photos of the meter must be provided to us, so that the read can be validated.

Providing evidence of the actual meter read

It’s important that the following details are included in the photo:

• The date the photo is taken (camera date, mobile phone date, front page of newspaper showing date)
• The whole meter must be shown
• The numbers showing the reading must be clear and all the numbers must be shown
• All dials must be included and the numbers clearly visible (these dials may look like ‘clocks’). Alternatively, the numbers may appear as an odometer display.
• The applicable meter number must be clearly visible (this is usually located on the front of the meter under the Dial / Odometer display).
• The number value of the read estimate provided for cumulative energy consumed must be greater than a previous actual read of the meter.

Where do you send your photos?

Send your photos to your account manager or [email protected] together with your account number and invoice number.

Process for reviewing your photos and meter readings

Once your photos have been received, we will review the information you have provided in association with your invoice and will contact you in writing of our decision to accept or reject your request for an invoice adjustment.

If your request is rejected and you disagree with our decision, you can follow the disputes handling process that can be found on our website here.

If your request is accepted, we will advise you in writing via email and a new invoice will be issued with a new due date.

We also request you permanently resolve any ongoing access issues that may lead to meter reads being estimated in the future and to advise us once this has been completed.