Back-billing

Retailers can issue bills for historical energy usage that was not included in your previous bills, but there are limitations on what they can do

When can a retailer issue a back-bill?

There are a few different scenarios where you may receive a back-bill:

• You moved into a new property, but did not set up a new supply agreement at that time, so you consumed energy without a contract in place
• Your current retailer has had issues with their billing system
• Your previous bill(s) were based on estimated usage, which proved to be less than what you actually used
• there was an error in a previous bill, or it was based on an incorrect meter reading

What if I don't have a supply agreement?

If you've moved to a new property, and did not set up a new energy supply account with a new retailer, then any energy consumed without an agreement in place will fall under a 'Deemed Contract' with the retailer previously serving that property. 

This means that the retailer can still bill you for your usage, under the Deemed Contract terms, even though you did not specifically enter an agreement with them at all.

Deemed Contracts will be priced at the prevailing Default Offer rates for your location - this will mean that if and when the back bill arrives, it will be priced at higher rates than what you could have accessed under a market contract.

What are the limits on back-billing?

Where can I go for more information and help?