Five questions to ask your electricity and gas providers

Asking the right questions from your energy provider will help you save on your current Electricity and Gas bills.

Shopping for an energy plan can be an overwhelming experience, where deregulation of the energy industry means the average consumer has around 2,000 Compare energy plans to choose from.Unfortunately, some of those plans are downright duds, full of hidden fees and “green” energy that isn’t really green at all. Below are the five questions to ask your energy provider to ensure that are you getting all what you are paying for.

Can the customer have a look at how much energy he use in real-time?

Most of the people are shocked when they receive their first compare energy bill. Many of the thousands of plans are available on Australian Energy Regulators website and are pretty vague about how much they actually charge each month. Energy companies tier their rates based on how many kilowatt hours (kWh) consumers use. The problem is, most consumers have no clue how many hours they’re using, leaving a lot of guesswork around the exact rate they’re paying. The usage can also be changed from season to season or during severe weather, like a drought or heat wave. By knowing how much energy you are actually using daily, you may be able to change your habits and manage your energy spends in a better way.

Why is the customer’s bill higher than the rates advertised on provider’s website?

If your usage amount is the same or have just a minimal difference from the estimated cost that is advertised on the provider’s website then your bill will be the same as mentioned. But if your usage falls outside that very specific amount - then your estimated cost may decrease and vice-versa.

Therefore, your bill will differ based on your actual usage.

What are all these extra fees?

Think you’ve found the perfect plan? Don’t sign on the dotted line before you’ve read the fine print. Many energy companies tack on hidden fees for things like calls to customer service or mailing out disconnection notices.

These little fees are essentially a substitute for providing good customer service, and though they’re small, they can add up too much higher rates than those listed. Review your bill carefully, or check your usage time-to-time, to make sure you’re not paying a premium for add-ons that amount to very little.

What happens if my new supplier increases its prices or changes contract terms?

From the next meter reads or billing period you will be charged updated rates and as per the contract terms they may define the benefit period of the new plan according to their policies.

In that case, customer can switch to any other provider for better prices and plans according to their consumptions.

Customer first will receive the final bill from his current provider and then he will receive the next bill from his/her new provider.

 

Can I cancel a contract once I have applied for it?

After signing up to a new supplier through our website, if you change your mind you can cancel the contract during your standard 10-days cooling-off period and stay with your current/previous provider with the same benefits.

After the cooling-off period expires, you can still cancel the contract at any time without paying any cancellation fees since there is no lock-in contract.