We don’t reduce the lines portion of your bill, as your electricity retailer has no obligation to pass on lines cost reductions.
Crediting your electricity account avoids lots of hassles like cheques going missing in the mail or being stolen or having to have your name changed on a cheque. You receive the immediate benefit of the credit on your latest power bill.
You are eligible for the Top Energy discount if you were connected to the Top Energy network and your name is on the bill on 19 May 2020, and have used more than 1 kilowatt hour (kWh) of power between 01 May 2019 – 30 April 2020.
To receive the full $250, you have to have used over 1,130 kWh.
If you have used between 1 and 1,130 kWh, you will receive a minimum of $57, and the total dollar amount will increase depending on your kWh power consumption.
Because we are making a payment based on predicted electricity usage, we will also do a wash-up calculation based on your actual usage up to 31 March 2021 and any owed money will be applied to you electricity bill. No reimbursement will be sought for any overpayments.
Top Energy sends this discount to your electricity retailer on 01 June. For the majority of customers this will appear on your bill with a June date. If it doesn’t appear as a discount line on your bill by July, please check with your electricity retailer.
If your electricity meter was connected and in your name on Tuesday 19 May 2020 you will receive the discount.
If you were not connected on 19 May 2020, you won’t be eligible for the discount. You need to have been connected on 19 May 2020 and the discount will be based on the consumption of the connection you are attached to on that date (19 May), over the period 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2020.
If you:
- get a monthly bill either by email or through the post your Top Energy discount is credited to your account by your electricity retailer. You get a lower bill than usual.
- have a Direct Debit Payment, your Top Energy lines charge discount is credited to your account by your electricity retailer. Your power bill is lower, and less cash than usual will be taken from your account.
- pay by Automatic Payment, your Top Energy lines charge discount tops up your account and, depending on your retailer, you are free to choose to reduce the amount you pay at each instalment or put a stop to it for a while.
- have a pre-paid electricity account, your Top Energy lines charge discount tops up your account. Next time you call your retailer or pop into the Post Office, check your balance and choose whether or not to make your usual payment.
If you were taking a power supply from the Top Energy network somewhere on 19 May, you should contact the electricity retailer that you had the account with on 19 May.
It must be that your neighbour has more than one electricity account and connection point.
Not unless you claim your electricity payments as a business expense in your tax return.
Yes. $217.39 + GST of $32.61 = $250
You should call your electricity retailer and they will arrange a payment or offset against future bills.
More people are indeed getting more money this way. We’ve done everything we can to ensure that this is a fairer way of doing things. But because this discount is now paid through electricity accounts it must be the account holder who gets the discount.
If you pay a share of the electricity bill where you are now, and you are still in the Far North, you should still benefit from the reduced bill in June/July
We’ve done everything we can to find a fairer way of distributing this discount and a great many more people will benefit more from this approach. But because the discount is now paid through electricity accounts it must be the existing account holder at your former property who gets the discount. It’s possible that you will qualify for a lines charge discount from the lines company in your new region.
Your Top Energy lines charge discount tops up your account. Next time you call your retailer or pop into the Post Office, check your balance and choose whether to make your usual payment.
No. We apply the same process to everybody.
The payment is in June, five months earlier than expected to help ease the burden of COVID-19 on the people in the Far North.
This is part of our wider plan to reduce electricity costs in the Far North.
You should call or email Top Energy setting out your complaint, which will then be handled through our established complaint procedure. Our number is 0800 867 363 or email feedback@topenergy.co.nz
