A heads up to take photos at the end of your billing cycle if you still have an analog meter

[Sin]

As per my other post in regard to our energy bill doubling/tripling out of nowhere.

Luckily, I took a photo a few days after the meter read.

I initially phoned AGL, spoke to a consultant about the high bill and she raised a ticket. I then did an AGL complaints the next day in which I thought to myself later that night that I should take a photo of the analog meter.

Hence why I created the other discussion and last week, I phoned up for an update only to be told that the case had been closed and that there weren't any issues which was a load of crap.

The consultant I spoke to initially was great and the one last week was fantastic as she was the one who suggested for me to read and take a photo of the meter whilst I was on the phone with her, which then made me say to her that I have a photo from the 7th of May 2025 in which she said to email them both to her because the numbers are not matching up.

I emailed her, she looked at the photos and said that it is definitely a human error in which she raised another ticket and assured me it would be fixed, and they will need to amend the numbers.

The next day, I looked at the AGL app and the bill was sorted from $803 to $441(which it should have been originally).

Even the projection was sorted from $960 and now it's at $870 which is fine as the last 2-3 weeks, my mum and I have started using the little fan heaters.

So, the meter reader person who came out made a mistake in the numbers that they wrote down, in which I knew that was the case but there was no way to prove it as it seemed like I was trying to get away from paying a high bill but thankfully I took that photo on the 7th of May 2025 and the bill is now sorted.

If anyone is still running an Analog Meter, I then suggest you take a photo with your phone as it has a timestamp and date of when you took it which should be at the end of your billing cycle, just in case something like this happens to yourself or anyone you know, so there is proof with the numbers and you can question the high bill due as it may have been human error in my case or else I would have had to fork out $803 and pay that extra $360 for not even using that much electricity.

I am happy that it was amended but from now on, I do not trust these meter reader people do the town house complex I live in.

Excuse the rambling but I'll reiterate to take a photo if you are still on an analog meter.

[Lester · Accepted solution]

Or better still (if you don't mind doing it), just open the phone app and put your meter reading straight into the 'submit meter read' option on the last day or 2nd last day of the billing cycle.

You can also log into your AGL account and do that for analogue metering.

I do this at my workshop, as most of the normal working hours the yard is closed up and meter readers can't get access.

My home metering is digital metering, so it no longer requires a physical meter read, uploading daily direct to SAPN (the power supplier), who passes that onto AGL for billing.

[Sin]

I may need to start doing it but not sure if it is possible and if they can trust me in giving them the correct numbers because I have seen the "submit meter read" on the app but have never done it before.

Might just leave it for the person that comes and as I said to just take photos, just in case something like this happens again.

Understandable for you to do it if the yard is closed up but with the town house complex I live in, the electrical box is attached to Villa 10 and I am Villa 12, the way these town houses are done in regard to electricity, like there is one box attached to one building for the two villas.

Villa 10 has a digital one whilst ours is still analog, I may need to look into getting an upgrade.

Appreciate the tips!

Cheers!!

[Lester]

Just another tip re your reply . . .

Not sure where you are, but sometimes people are better off with their single rate analogue meter.

When we installed solar back in Nov 2023, we had to upgrade to a digital meter so the 2 way communication capability could allow solar to work with the grid.

We were on a single tariff on the analogue, and were put onto TOU (time of use) when we went digital.

Turns out with our solar we were better (or no worse) off with this change, but no one even mentioned the tariff change, which has 3 different pricing amounts in 4 different times of usage.

Peak TOU here in a little under 50c / kWh, is 2 huge blocks of 13 hours a day total, of course through the busy times of day . . . so you really have to investigate your current rates and any other plans a retailer wants you to go on, in your region, because ALL states and then some regions can be vastly different.

Also look at supply charge changes that may be present on different plans tariff types.

Avoid Demand tariffs if possible, they are heinous.

Digital meters are mandated by govco to be in use in all Aussie homes and businesses by 2030 . . . will this be achieved ?

Not sure, but it's a change that will eventually come, like it or not.

If you look into it, and you see you may be better off with a digital meter change, then that's great.

But do the research as you might be better off waiting until someone sends you a letter or email saying it has to happen.

You can refuse them now, unless your meter is not functioning correctly, but any such meter problems will see a digital meter go in, no more analogue type.

[Sin]

I am a few suburbs away from Parramatta in Sydney, NSW.

You think spending thousands of dollars on solar in which you are meant to save on energy bills that they charge you a higher rate during the busier peak times is bs and with 3 different pricing amounts.

The plan I am on is the basic one, I do not change plans every year or anything because the bills have been good over the years, can be expensive at times during winter but it seems like they raise the prices or charge a higher amount during the colder months.

That is what I presumed that every household was meant to be digital, so that is good to know that eventually it will change and to stay on the analog for longer but the issue this time was a human error, reading the analog clocks wrong, as to why we were charged for an extra 1000kWh that we didn't use because of the persons mistake.

Appreciate the heads up in regard to the digital and analog meters, I will try to stay on the analog as long as I can and take photos at the end of the billing cycle, just in case something like this happens again.

Cheers mate!!

[SYED_AGL]

Hi,

Thanks for sharing your experience—completely understand your frustration. Solar should deliver real savings, and it’s frustrating when peak pricing or billing errors get in the way. Good call on taking photos of your meter readings; it’s a smart way to avoid issues like the one you faced. Hopefully, as the metering systems improve, there’ll be fewer of these errors and more transparency around usage and charges. Appreciate the chat

Syed