Delayed and catch-up bills

Complaints about delayed bills, refunds and bills for previous time periods.

Delayed bills happen when your electricity, gas or water company doesn’t send you a bill for a while. Delayed bills can be caused by a number of factors including problems with your company’s billing system.

Catch-up bills happen when your electricity, gas or water company sends you a bill for an amount you owe from a previous time period. These are sometimes known as “backbills”. Catch-up bills can be caused by a number of factors including:

• Your previous bill had an error.
• Your previous bill was delayed and your company has not been able to issue you with a bill for the usage.
• Your previous bill was based on estimated usage and the estimate was less than what you actually used. Estimated bills are issued when an actual meter read couldn’t be done with your meter.
• Your previous bill was based on an incorrect meter reading.

Refunds happen when your electricity, gas or water company has overcharged you. Refunds can be caused by a number of factors including:

• You were overcharged on a previous bill.
• Reconciliation of a bill-smoothing payment plan leads to you being owed a refund.
• A security deposit you paid is due to be returned.

Understanding your electricity, gas and water bills can be difficult. There’s a lot of information and a variety of charges listed on your bill. Here are some of the basics that should be on every bill:

• your address, meter number and account number
• a breakdown of usage and service charges
• the total amount you owe
• discounts, rebates, credits or concessions applied to your bill
• how you can pay
• how to get help with payments.

Electricity, gas and water bills have two main types of charges:

• usage charges for the electricity, gas or water you’ve used at your property
• service charges being fixed charges that contribute to maintaining the network of wires, poles and pipes, and sewage disposal.

Water bills can also have special charges such as waterways and parks charges.

While most bills sent to you by your company will be for the correct usage and at the right time, sometimes you may receive a delayed bill or a bill based on estimated or incorrect usage, and a catch-up bill will be sent to you later.

If your electricity, gas or water company did not bill you correctly for a previous period, it may send you a catch-up bill for the undercharged amount. Here are the rules for catch-up bills.

Water

Water companies can send you a catch-up bill for up to four months before you were told about the billing issue. Water companies can’t issue catch-up bills for longer unless it was caused by illegal use.

Water companies must allow you extra time to pay the catch-up bill. You can pay by instalments over four months, or you can ask for a flexible payment plan.

We are aware Greater Western Water has experienced billing system issues, which may have impacted your billing. For more information, read our news page.

Electricity and gas

Electricity and gas companies can send you a catch-up bill for up to four months before you were told about the issue. Electricity and gas companies can’t issue a catch-up bill for longer unless you’re at fault for the billing issue.

You must be offered extra time to pay the catch-up bill. You can pay by agreed instalments. You can pay over a period equal to the time you were undercharged, up to a maximum of 12 months.

If you’ve got a complaint about a delayed bill, a catch-up bill or a refund, contact your company first. If you’re not happy with their response, contact us.

We can help with most complaints about energy or water issues in Victoria, big or small. Our service is free to Victorian customers.

Need general information?

If you don’t have a complaint but just want some general information, we call this an enquiry. We may even be able to refer you to another agency.

You can make an enquiry at any time. Call us on 1800 500 509, send us an email or start a live chat.