How we can help

Payment arrangements

We’re here to help! As soon as you are facing payment difficulties, let us know by giving us a call on 1800 515 313.If you have not yet missed a payment (your bill is not overdue), there are a number of options available which are designed to help you avoid falling behind. These options include:

• purchasing power in advance, which gives you access to better discounts and allows you to control how much you pay towards your account, and when you pay it;

• allowing you to pay equal regular amounts towards your account so you know exactly how much you need to pay, and when you need to pay it – rather than waiting for a bill; or

• extending the due date of your bill for one billing cycle once every twelve months.

If you have an outstanding balance that you will not be able to pay in full it is important that you contact Powershop as soon as possible so we can work together on setting up a payment arrangement. In setting up the payment arrangement we will take into account:

• the amount that you can afford to pay;

• any individual circumstances you are willing to share with us that are contributing to your payment difficulties;

• the current outstanding balance of your account, plus your current Powershop bill;

• your forecast energy usage and costs; and

• the amount to pay to avoid falling further into debt.

If you have missed paying a bill on time, we will offer you a tailored arrangement which is designed to assist you to manage ongoing energy costs, while repaying overdue amounts. This arrangement may include:

• advice and practical assistance to help you lower your energy costs, including by:

  • putting you on suitable tariffs based on your usage patterns and payment history; and

  • helping you reduce your energy usage; and

  • giving you regular information on how you are progressing in lowering your energy costs;

• giving you advice on government and non-government assistance you might be able to access;

• options on a payment arrangement which will provide you with up to two years to pay off the arrears on your account; or

• if you are not in a position to pay your ongoing energy costs, placing repayments of arrears on hold for six months while you pay as much as you can towards your ongoing bills (any amount unpaid after that 6 months will be added to your arrears). During this period we will work with you to help you to try to reduce your energy use. At the end of the six (6) month period we will review your payment plan.

If you are struggling to keep up with your payment arrangement, it is important that you give us a call as soon as possible so that we can review your arrangement. Unfortunately if you do not contact us to change your payment arrangement and/or do not adhere to the agreed payment arrangement, your energy may be disconnected.

Payment extension

Payment extensions are helpful for those customers who may be experiencing short-term financial difficulty and need an extension. If you have not paid your bill in full by the due date, we will send you a notification via your registered email address advising you that we are going to make a debit from your default payment method. If you would like to delay this debit by up to five business days you can do so by logging into your Powershop online account and selecting ‘move the payment date’. Alternatively, feel free to give us a call on 1800 515 313 and we can arrange the extension. If you need to extend beyond five business days, then you will need to give us a call on 1800 515 313.A payment extension may not always suit you and/or Powershop, so once we better understand your situation we may determine an option that better suits both our needs.