What to do when your bill is based on an estimate read
Sometimes your bill needs to be estimated rather than based on actual reads from your meter. This is shown in one of two ways on your bill.
An estimated read (E) happens when your meter provider doesn’t provide us with an actual read of your meter, so the consumption shown on your bill is an estimate based off your past usage patterns. This is what you’ll see on your
bill if you’ve received an estimated read:
A substitute read (S) means your consumption data has been provided by your meter provider in the event of them being unable to read your meter. This is what you’ll see on your bill if you’ve received a substitute read:
If you’re concerned about the reading, you can request an adjusted bill based on your own meter reading estimate by following the steps below.
How to send us your own meter readings
Reading your own gas and electricity is not as difficult as you may think. Below are some instructions on how to do it. We’ve also included information on how you can provide electricity and gas meter reading information to us.
If you want us to provide an adjusted bill estimate based on your own reading, any meter reading information you provide to us need to be received by us before the due date of your bill or it may be rejected.
Please note that we will be unable to accept meter reading from Victorian customers with digital meters (also referred to as smart meters).
To provide your meter reading information to us, please refer to the steps below:
1. Take a photo of your meter
Take a very clear photograph of your electricity or gas meter and be sure to include any relevant serial or reference numbers that are on the meter in the image.
Important:
If you have a digital electricity meter, you need to make sure the display is showing the consumption when you take the photo. Press the SELECT/Scroll button repeatedly to get to the correct
display. If you have more than just Peak consumption being recorded (e.g. you have Peak and/or Off Peak and/or Solar), you will need to take separate photos for each consumption recording
displayed.
If you have multiple meters on site please ensure that each photograph clearly shows the serial number for each meter.
Important tips on taking a clear photo.
The photo must not be blurred (e.g. it must be in focus) and must also be taken with a sufficient amount of light. Make sure there is no reflection in your photo. Reflections can come from lights, the sun or even the flash on your camera. If this happens when you take your photo, try moving the camera to a different angle or shade the meter from the sun or the light(s) causing the reflection and take the photo again.
2. Send us a photo + some details
To submit your self-read photo, login to MyAccount or use this enquiry form and fill out the required fields.
Along with the photo itself, we’ll need a few things:
- Your NMI and/or MIRN
- The date of the self-read
- Meter serial number
- Meter read
Step 1 – Locate your NMI and/or MIRN
You can find your NMI and/or MIRN on your most recent bill from us. The ‘NMI’ (which stands for National Metering Identifier) applies to electricity meters. The MIRN (which stands for Metering Identification Reference Number) applies to gas meters. The meter serial number will be located on the actual meter.
Step 2 – Take a photo (including some essential details)
Make sure your photo captures both the meter read and serial number in the same photo. If you have a manually read basic meter, we need a photo of each register on the meter. (A register can be an analog dial or digital counter, it records in kWh. You can have up to four of them.)
Please note, we can only accept a self-read if you have received an estimated invoice and have had an actual read in the previous 12 months.
Step 3 – Send us the photo
We prefer you use MyAccount or our Contact Form. If you’d like to post the photo to us along with the NMI or MIRN, our postal details are listed below. Please allow enough time for it to arrive before the due date of the relevant bill.
Post to;
Momentum
P.O. Box 352
Flinders Lane VIC 8009
If your self-read is accepted, we’ll let you know in writing and re-issue a revised bill based on your self-read.
If Momentum Energy is unable to process your self-read, we’ll notify you in writing with the reasons why, and your bill will still need to be paid by the due date.
Then what happens?
After you’ve provided your reading to us, we will be in touch soon after to inform you of the outcome. We’ll either confirm if the reading was accepted or if it has been rejected.
If your reading is accepted, you will receive an SMS confirming it. A revised bill (with a new due date) will then be issued and sent to you.
If your reading is rejected, we will write to you and advise why. The original bill amount will remain in place and need to be paid, but you will have an extra 14 business days to pay the bill.
What could cause a rejection?
Photos may be rejected if:
- we are unable to derive a complete and/or usable reading(s) of your consumption amounts from the image(s) you have provided. Some of the reasons a photo may be illegible could include not in focus, taken too far away from the meter, too
dark to see the meter clearly or the picture of the meter doesn’t have the reading in the image;
- the reading on the meter is less than the last actual read we received from your meter provider; or
- your read estimate was received on or after the due date for payment of the relevant bill. If your meter reading information is rejected, we will let you know as soon as possible and include the specific reasons for our decision. You may:
- request that we review the relevant bill in accordance with our standard complaints and dispute resolution procedures which can be found here.
You may, in some circumstances, incur costs from a third party so we recommend you contact us to discuss your options first.; or
- lodge a dispute with the energy ombudsman if you are not satisfied with our decision after you have followed the process set out here.
For more details, please see Momentum Energy’s Complaint and Dispute Policy.