Smart meters: why you can get an estimated energy bill

When we get regular meter readings from your smart meter, all your bills will be fairly accurate. But sometimes you might still get an estimated bill – have a look below to see why this can happen

Loss of connection

Just like your mobile phone, your smart meter can sometimes lose connection to the network. Maybe an object has blocked the signal, or a software upgrade is taking place.

Your smart meter can’t send a reading when it loses connection.

If this happens just before we create your bill, we have to estimate your latest reading. And that means you get an estimated bill.

You switched supplier

We can bill you for the exact amount of energy you've used if we get a reading from your smart meter just before we create your bill.

But when you first switch supplier, it can take a few weeks to sync your readings to the timings of your bills. And that means you get an estimated bill.

You changed the way you pay

If your rates changed with your new payment type, you'll get an estimated bill. This is because we estimate the amount of energy you used before your rates changed (based on all the readings we've had from your smart meter).

You have a new smart meter

The first bill you get after your smar meter is installed will probably cover time with your old meter too. In the unliekly event we didn't have an up-to-meter reading from you old meter, your bill will be estimated.