What to do if you get a higher electricity bill than you expected
While some surprises can be exciting, receiving an electricity bill that is higher than you were expecting can be stressful.
At Synergy, we believe we’re all greater, connected. We’re here to help you manage your current Synergy electricity bill, prepare for your future bills and connect you with ways that could help you to save on your electricity costs.
Here are our top tips on what to do if your electricity bill is higher than you were expecting.
Reach out for help if you need it
We know a higher bill can feel overwhelming – and we’re here to help. If you need help with a Synergy bill, get in touch with us before the due date on your bill if you can. The sooner you reach out for help with your Synergy account, the more options you could have. We might be able to arrange a payment extension or payment plan, depending on your situation.
Action plan: Get help with your Synergy electricity bill
Complete the high bill checklist
If you’ve received a bill that’s higher than you expected, it’s a good idea to investigate the reason behind it. You can use our high bill check list to learn what might have contributed to your high bill. From there, you can work out which factors might apply to your household and then considering taking steps that could help prevent a high bill in the future.
Action plan: Take a look at our high bill checklist
Learn more about your Synergy account
Understanding why your Synergy electricity bill might be higher could help you prevent a higher bill next time.
There can be several reasons you might have used more electricity than usual. A change of seasons could be one reason for a spike in your bill as your heating and cooling habits change. Other reasons could include if you’ve recently bought a new appliance, installed a pool, been working from home or welcomed a new addition to the family.
If you’re not already using My Account, now could be the best time to start. Once you’ve registered, you can use My Account from your phone, tablet, or computer to take more control of your Synergy account. You can see your past bills and payments, find ways to pay your bill, track your electricity usage and find energy saving tips you could consider to make changes at home– and much more.
Action plan: Make the most of My Account
Change how you pay
One of the simplest ways to avoid higher bills in future is to change how you pay. If you choose to pay by instalments through Direct Debit*, you could put small, manageable amounts towards your Synergy account on a regular basis. This enables you to have more control over your account and may help you to avoid high bill shock.
Action plan: Consider switching to Direct Debit* and pay by instalments
Explore how to save electricity
It is a good idea to regularly consider how you could save energy and improve your home energy efficiency. Making a few small changes in your household could help to make a difference to your next Synergy electricity bill.
The good news is reducing your energy usage can be easy. For example, in summer you could try ceiling fans to bring the temperature down and circulate cooler air rather than automatically switching on your air con. You might plan to BBQ your dinner on hot summer nights, rather than using your oven which increases the amount of hot air inside your home.
Walk around your home and consider how you use energy in each room – and what actions you could take to reduce the amount you use. For example, there are some simple swaps you could make to try to save energy in your home, such as changing the type of lighting you use or choosing more energy efficient appliances.
Action plan: Explore how you could use tech to help you save electricity at home
Make the most of solar
If you have a solar PV system, you could save money on electricity your electricity costs by making an effort to use more of your solar energy during the day. Your solar panels are producing energy when the sun is hitting them and using that solar energy when it is being produced rather than it being exported back to the grid could have an impact on your next bill.
For example, you might start using your washing machine or dishwasher only during the day when the sun is shining. This will help you make the most of your solar energy production and could reduce the amount of power you need to draw from the electricity grid later.
Action plan: Discover how to become a solar super user
Get your household on board
Call a house meeting and work out a home energy management action plan together.
If you can work together to cut back on your electricity use, you could plan to put any savings towards your future bills or a fun reward to share in your household.
Brainstorm some creative ways you might be able to save energy. For example, you could decide to have a regular “switch off” night and play board games without using appliances, your TV or other plug-in devices.
If you live with housemates, check out our no-stress guide to a share house electricity bill for more ideas.
Getting a higher bill than you were expecting is not ideal – but introducing these tips or a few of these energy saving ideas in your home could help you to take control of your electricity costs. For more energy-saving ideas, try our Energy Tool.
* Synergy's Direct Debit Service Agreement terms and conditions apply.
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