I'm Getting Free Electricity. Is It Too Good to Be True?

Acopic on 04/07/2022 - 19:02

So it appears I am getting free electricity through Dodo. I'm on month-month no contract with a smart meter, but my usage shows 0kwh and I've not received a bill in 5 months.

Is this too good to be true?

The meter is still ticking up. Will they cotton on at some point? Do they still do manual meter reads? Should I churn to another provider at some point and hope I don't get a bill or will that be my undoing?

I'm behaving as if I'll get a big bill at some point, but I do wonder if I shouldn't be less miserly with my aircon/pool heater.

Home & Garden Electricity

Comments

  • StraightGuy on 04/07/2022 - 19:03
    -8

    Be a man and tell the company.

  • Muzeeb on 04/07/2022 - 19:06
    +14

    Is this too good to be true?

    Yes

    • markathome on 04/07/2022 - 19:58

      Yep.

      Unless things have changed from my days in utilities, all meters will also have a manual read. They'll check this and come after you for the full amount. Just put aside some cash for it and keep on truckin'.

      Don't offer to host a major Bitcoin mining operation or something.

      I don't think they'll charge you interest and they'll probably give you a payment plan if requested - so with interest rates heading up you could be ahead.

    • Chandler on 06/07/2022 - 12:02

      Is this too good to be true?

      Yes

      This.

      The meter is still ticking up. Will they cotton on at some point?

      Of course. Either whilst your still a customer or when you go to move retailers, a "manual" read will be done ("manual" as in not automatic: not necessarily in person).

      Do they still do manual meter reads?

      With smart meters, I don't see why. Maybe if there's something sus with readings.

      Should I churn to another provider at some point and hope I don't get a bill or will that be my undoing?

      It will certainly be your undoing, but you will get undone at some point: better to face it now than wait a year and get a humongous bill.

  • AdamFury on 04/07/2022 - 19:08
    +22

    Electricity companies hate him!

  • boomramada on 04/07/2022 - 19:11
    +3

    More like your bill is attached to a someone else meter that not in use.

  • AndyC1 on 04/07/2022 - 19:21
    +5

    it will come back and bite you.

    • TEER3X on 05/07/2022 - 18:57

      How? They are saving the money for when the time comes to pay.

  • avoidfullprice on 04/07/2022 - 19:28
    +5

    Even 0kWh usage would result in them charging you supply. But if you have signed up to them and they have not billed you, then problem is on them.

    Utility company can only claw so far back for unbilled usage.

  • ECE on 04/07/2022 - 19:29

    Enjoy it while it last. They will get to it anyway as soon as they know. There is no such thing as free electricity unless you have a standalone power source 😷

  • Euphemistic on 04/07/2022 - 19:30
    +8

    Keep saving for that big bill, they’ll work it out eventually.

    Do some research. I was under the impression they can’t backcharge you past a certain time, like 9 months or something.

  • imcjb on 04/07/2022 - 19:39
    -5

    "Will they cotton on at some point?" "Is it too good to be true?"

    Do you not return wallets you find in the street…

    Either you have integrity or you don't. Why don't you ring them and tell them there's an issue with your bill?

    • Tech5 on 04/07/2022 - 19:45
      +10

      Nah. It is one thing to return where an individual is at harm. E.g. lost wallet. It's another regarding a big ass company. You can bet they would chase you for every cent if you underpaid something by accident.

      I say just let it ride OP and expect a bill at the end.

  • Trishool on 04/07/2022 - 20:17
    -1

    I wonder if they can charge OP with theft of electricity, as s/he would have know that they're using electricity and have not paid anything in months for it. Im sure they could legally go down this path, but ultimately will just ask OP to pay the relevant amount.

    • Daabido on 04/07/2022 - 20:55
      +2

      Not a chance. First, the police wouldn't be interested in charging him. He could show them his contract and they would say it's a civil matter.

      Secondly, Dodo would work out a payment plan rather than take him to court with all the associated costs involved.

    • bohn on 04/07/2022 - 20:59
      +3

      There are rules about these things:
      This is for Vic
      https://www.ewov.com.au/common-complaints/delayed-and-catch-…

      OP has nothing to worry about

    • steven6 on 04/07/2022 - 22:58

      If they charged OP with theft of electricity then he would have even more free electricity.

  • bdl on 04/07/2022 - 20:19
    +1

    Dodo's being dodo

  • bohn on 04/07/2022 - 20:33
    +3

    OP , they can only backdate you 4 months from when they notice it in Vic. I think elsewhere might be 9 months
    Also, 'You must be offered an equal time to pay and sometimes more, up to a maximum of 12 months.'

    If you are in Vic you are ahead already.

    Either way, you'll have plenty of time to pay it off. I wouldn't worry if they're not. Wait and see when it is noticed.

    • Whatisthatvelvet on 05/07/2022 - 19:25

      This is true.

      I got about 15months of gas before the provider caught up with me (took me 12 months to realise I wasn't getting billed).

      Could only backdate it 9 months and gave plenty of time to pay it off (paid it straight away to get it over with).

  • Quantumcat on 04/07/2022 - 21:07

    My advice:

    You've already got a free month of electricity in the bank even if they figured out what was happening right now.

    Don't be miserly but don't go crazy either (running mining rigs or just leaving your heating on all day when you're not home) just in case they figure it out sooner rather than later.

  • oscargamer on 04/07/2022 - 21:24

    elec companies can back charge for up to nine months

    once you reach that point, it's free after that - until then , they can bill you

    • Quantumcat on 04/07/2022 - 22:43

      4 months in Vic according to links above

    • steven6 on 04/07/2022 - 22:55

      elec companies can back charge

      I see what you did there

      • oscargamer on 04/07/2022 - 23:05

        I like what I did… Even though I didn't know that I did it 🙂

  • tight-ass on 04/07/2022 - 21:56
    +7

    My in-laws are enjoying a similar perk at the house they purchased just over 10 years ago.

    It turns out they have 2 water meters on their property - the house is connected to one and the other one nothing, so it may have been a temporary one for when the house was under construction??

    They only knew about its existence when they returned home one day to find the next door neighbour had connected a hose to it so he could top up his pool / spa.

    Needless to say it gets a good workout and the garden is a tropical oasis.

  • Davo1111 on 04/07/2022 - 22:03
    +2

    I think you should start crypto mining. Wcgw

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2022 - 12:27
    -1

    enjoy your cell

  • brakenick on 05/07/2022 - 13:15

    I'm with Dodo and had the same thing happen. Didn't get a bill for over 4 months and recently called them about it and they sent me a bill for all my usage after a few days, 138 days worth.

  • Acopic on 05/07/2022 - 18:55
    +1

    Interesting turn of events… Got an email today advising my fees are going from 88c daily charge to 151c, solar fit from 8.5 to 5c, and usage from 18 to 28c. So the rates are now quite poor. Considering cutting my losses/wins. I'm in Qld, so cant see a reference to the 9months but presume it's the case by what you guys have said.

    • bohn on 05/07/2022 - 19:04

      yeh it would be annoying to stay and then have to pay backdated higher rates… but you never know when they will find out.
      you could get a lot of free power. bit of a gamble.. ;)

      also you need to check what the competition are charging.

  • Gros21 on 05/07/2022 - 21:22

    Ive seen many meters smashed beyond repair/reading always happens just before a meter read by "punk kids" that must hold a grudge.

    There will be 220/415v there depending on meter type. Also mechical meters tend to get slower with age.

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