High electricity bill

[Blake911]

Hi I just got my 3 month bill an I think I was taken for a ride I’m the only one that lives here an my bill is 890 dollars that’s ridiculous an my last bill was 280 can it be a mistake that I put the wrong meter number in the day I was  billed  last ???

[David_AGL · Accepted solution]

Hi @Blake911 ,

Unexpectedly high bills can happen for lots of reasons - a mistaken meter reading is one of them. If a mistake was made, don't worry, it's easily fixed.

A good place to start looking into a high bill is our Unexpected High Bill page, but if you'd like us to investigate, just log in to your My Account page and hit the Message (💬) button in the bottom right, or the top left on the AGL app.

[Benn]

Hi David, I’ve had the same issue today when I called they said that this bill is a catch up for the previous bills that were estimated bills but I do have the app I could check that the previous bills were not estimated they all are issued after an actual read except the last bill (previous to the recent one) plus there was an issue this bill is issued after the meter repair as it was leaking I get this bill which almost triple when I called for the 3rd one they say we are not concerned about the leak and the leak was before the meter and this is again a false information the leak was after in my side. No help provided just trying to convince me to change plan. All the excuses I’ve been given I believe truly believe that something is wrong. But no solution is given to me unfortunately 

[0402cliffe]

G'day Ben, I was paying approximately $120.00 a quarter, September to December 2024 $281.00...Supply charges came down and a couple of rates went up not by much. If there was 3 items that went up it was less than $10.00 each. My usage per day this year is less than last year. I have no idea.....

[onedot]

The ACCC will investigate whether energy retailers are misleading consumers by promoting energy plans that promise savings or value to consumers when they actually offer poor value for the customer, following CHOICE making a designated complaint to the ACCC.

[Lester]

There is the energy ombudsman in each state too, if one can't get a definitive solution.

[Brunkerville]

Same here triple and nothing has changed . I have 33 solar panels and 2 batteries. I feel ripped off . 

[Lester]

So what's changed on your bill now when compared to previous bills ?

It should be glaringly obvious why it's gone up so much, and you should be able to investigate further, or look for a better plan / deal . . . some of the things that can change . . .

Solar stops working as it should.

You plan expires / changes, and you are put onto a core plan, or one with higher tariffs, possibly a demand tariff.

DNSPs can impose new charges, tariff / supply charges, or even worse a demand charge.

Your tariffs / suply were put up a lot due to normal periodic price increases.

An appliance goes rogue and starts chewing power.

A neighbour has a grow house and is tapping into your power somehow.

You have started a grow house.

[ChrisE_AGL]

Hi @Lester 

Thank you for your comment, and well detailed list as to why bills could change suddenly show an increase. 

I'd just like to mention that AGL no longer offers Demand tariff to homes not already using a Demand tariff, so this isn't one to look for if you weren't already on one. 

But I'll also add, if you have a basic meter, please check the bill to see if the read was estimated, or if previous read was estimated and now you have an actual read. 

Thanks, Chris
 

[Lester]

@ChrisE_AGL thanks or pointing that out, I should have remembered demand is no longer offered . . .

Do people on demand tariffs now (that were brought in mandatory previoulys by whatever DNSP) have the option to change back to straight up TOU, or single rate ??

I recall some NSW residents with one DNSP were put on demand, not by choice, and no options to not have this.

Maybe they are still stuck with it, or can change if desired.

Yes, the other possible for the high bills, estimated bills can be very much out of whack, usually way more than one would expect from my experience.

Simple to fix by calling the AGL number and sometimes sending a meter photo.