What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your Electricity Bill?

Mortgage, insurance, rental fees, energy bills, etc. are some of our relentless monthly expenditures, which most of the time are horrifying. If you are faced with the stress of paying your energy bills, know that you are not alone. The first thing to do is to calculate your budget and a payback plan. The next step is to get in touch with your service provider and have a chat about your options. However, there are steps taken prior to that.

Talk to your provider to see if you are on a good plan and if they have any payment options

When bills are not paid within a certain timeframe, it can lead to disconnection. Energy disconnection usually happens when you don’t contact your provider within 28 days of an unpaid invoice.

1. Your provider will then send through details about the amount due, date of payment and options to pay it.
2. In case you miss out the deadline, your provider will send a reminder via post.
3. If you are facing any financial difficulty, you can opt to pay in installments as approved by your provider
4. A letter for disconnection of services may be sent to you in case your bills are unpaid on the expiry of the timeframe give in your reminder letter.
5. Your provider may try to get in touch with you after the disconnection letter has been sent.

REMINDERS!

• It’s best to pay by the due date of the reminder notice to avoid disconnection
• If you think the retailer did not follow the proper procedure before they disconnected your electricity service, report to the energy ombudsman in your area.
• Disconnection and reconnection fees may also apply.

Check - How to Switch Energy Providers

Getting Reconnected

Contact your energy retailer for reconnection within 10 business days of being disconnected. Make sure you settle the debt. If you cannot pay it in one time, agree to a payment plan to manage the unpaid bills. Lastly, prepare these details.

• Address
• The date you want your electricity connected
• Contact number
• Identification card (e.g. passport, driver’s license, Medicare number)
• Concession details

Bills make SAVINGS more important. By paying bills on time, you can avoid energy disconnection.