Q&A

You can access quick answers from these common topics listed below. If you are looking for more specific answers to your inquiry, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 1300 599 008 or use the live chat tool to connect with our professional customer service agents.

How do I read my bill?

Click here to see our sample bill.

How do I switch to email bill ?

Head to Live Chat, or simply give us a call at 1300 599 008, we’ll update your billing preference for you.

Why am I not getting any bills?

We will issue your bill once we have the latest meter read. If you haven’t receive your bill over a month, please send the inquiry to customerservice@futurexpower.com.au or call 1300 599 008.

Where do I find my billing history?

You can login to your customer portal, and you can find your historical bills under Statement tab.

When does my billing start?

Your billing cycle starts on the day your electricity is connected.

What is the NMI?

An NMI, or National Meter Identifier, is a unique 10- or 11-digit number given to every networked electrical connection in Australia.

You will find your NMI in your customer portal, or on the first page of your electricity bill.

A capture of sample bill showing where can you find the NMI.

Why have I got an estimated bill?

The most likely reason you’ve received an estimated bill is because we couldn’t get to your meter to read it due to the access issues, extreme weather conditions or other reasons. Hence, the bill can only be issued with an estimated read. However, the meter read will be adjusted to the actual read when the next actual meter reading is available.

Why is my bill so high?

We understand that an unexpectedly high bill can be a bit of a shock. Bill increases reflect your lifestyle changes such as: moving to a bigger house, installing a pool, or just from using appliances that are less energy efficient.

It’s also worth comparing your current bill to the one for the same period from the last year.

Head to Live Chat if you’d like talk to us about reducing your energy costs.

How often am I billed?

You will be billed monthly or quarterly based on your billing cycle selection.

What are the ways I can pay my bill?

You have the following payment methods to pay your bill:

Online

BPAY

  • Pay via BPAY using Biller code: 197954 and the Reference number will be showed on your bill

By post

  • Send your cheque to:
    PO Box 1886 Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109, along with the payment slip from your bill.

Phone

  • Call 1300 599 008 to arrange payment over the phone.

When is my bill due?

You will see the due date of bills on the first page. Normally we offer two weeks for our customers to pay their bills.

Can I pay the bill for my business in instalments?

We understand that lump-sum bills don’t work for everyone. So, if you’d rather pay your bill off in smaller bite-sized pieces, we’ve got a few options for you.

Chip away at your bills with BPAY

Before your bill’s due date, you can chip away at it by making smaller payments ahead of time.

You can also set up regular BPAY payments if you’d prefer. You’ll need to do this through your bank. Use Biller code: 197954 and the Reference number showed on your bill.

Get your bills issued monthly

This is only available for electricity accounts holders with a smart meter.

If you have a smart electricity meter, email us at customerservice@futurexpower.com.au or go to Live Chat to change your bills to monthly. If you don’t know what kind of meter you have, don’t worry, we’ll be able to look it up when we get your message.

If you need more information on payment plans, talk to a Live Chat agent about more tailored payment plan options during our business hours.

What is a late payment fee?

You may not be qualified for your discount anymore if you fail to pay the total amount shown on your bill by the due date.

If you’re struggling to pay your bills on time, there are a few things that you can do:

  • Request a payment extension on your current bill, just give us a call at 1300 599 008. You can pay your bill with a once-off payment or installments. If you request the payment extension before your bill’s due date, you’ll be able to keep any discounts applied to your account.
  • Take a look at our Financial assistance options.

How do I set up a direct debit?

You can set up a direct debit quickly and easily. Fill the direct debit application in your welcome pack and send it back to us by emailing to customerservice@futurexpower.com.au or posting it to GPO BOX 12028 George Street, QLD 4003.

What if my direct debit payment did not go through ?

Direct debits can take up to 3 business days to kick in. If you’ve just sent out your application, it might not be arrived or activated yet. You can jump through to Live Chat or give us a call at 1300 599 008, and we’ll look into it for you straight away.

Where do I find my billing history?

You can send the request to our customerservice@futurexpower.com.au or call 1300 599 008.

Please note,we can also send you all the bills by post on your request, but it will incur postage fees.

You can also login to your customer portal, and you can find your historical bills under the Statement tab.

What is my balance?

The balance reveals debits and credits in your account. The number within brackets shows how much is credited.

Where can I find all my past payments ?

You can simply find your historical transactions under Transaction tab.

What should I do to transfer to Future X Power?

You can sign up through our website and one of our staff will call you to confirm your detail and then you will be transferred to Future X Power on the next scheduled read date of your meter.

Do you have Live Chat ?

We absolutely do.
Our Live Chat hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 am–5:30 pm (AEST). If our customer service assistant is online, you’ll be able to see “We reply immediately” in the chatbox.

How do I reset my password or change my logins?

Once you have a login, you can change your password under Account Details tab.

How do I register for My Account?

Please go to https://futurexenergy.utilibill.com.au/futurexenergy/SrvCustomerPortal/ and create the account by clicking on Register Account.

Will I still get a bill if I use direct debit to pay my bill?

Yes, we’ll send you a bill in advance so you can see the amount before it’s debited.

When does my direct debit occur?

The amount on your electricity bill will be deducted from your direct debit account on the bill’s due date.

How to find concession rebate in different states ?

You may be eligible for a concession or rebate on your power bill if you’re the primary account holder on your energy account and you hold a valid concession card.

Valid concession cards
  • Health Care Card (HCC)
  • Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card (DVA)
  • Queensland Seniors Card (QSC)
Rebate Value & How to Apply

 

QLD

  • $338.36 (excl GST) / $372.2 (incl GST) per year
  • OR 92.7c (excl GST) / 101.97c (incl GST) per day

Please click here to apply.

 


 

NSW

  • $285 (excl GST) / $313.50 (incl GST) per year
  • OR 78.08c (excl GST) / 85.89c (incl GST) per day

Please click here to apply.

 


 

SA

  • $241.63 (excl GST) / $265.79 (incl GST) per year
  • OR  66.2c (excl GST) / 72.82c (incl GST) per day

 


 

VIC

Please click for more information.

 


For any difficulties with this, speak with a Live Chat agent or simply give us a call at 1300 599 008.

How do I update my concession details?

You may be eligible for a concession or rebate on your power bill if you’re the primary account holder on your energy account and you hold a valid concession card.

Valid concession cards
  • Health Care Card (HCC)
  • Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card (DVA)
  • Queensland Seniors Card (QSC)
Rebate Value

QLD

  • $309.86 (excl GST) / $340.85 (incl GST) per year
  • OR 84.89c (excl GST) / 93.38c (incl GST) per day
The quickest way to do this is to simply give us a call at 1300 599 008.

Have your concession details handy as we’ll need the card type, state, customer reference number and valid-from date. We’ll apply the concession to your account once we’ve received your information and confirmed your eligibility.

Your eligibility may take 24 hours to update its validation. We’ll let you know as soon is it’s validated or removed.

When will my concession discount to be applied?

Once you’ve given us all the details and we’ve confirmed that you’re eligible, we’ll let you know. and the concession discount will be applied to your account from that date on wards.

What happens if my concession card isn't accepted?

In the first instance, check your concession card is still valid:

Valid concession cards
  • Health Care Card (HCC)
  • Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card (DVA)
  • Queensland Seniors Card (QSC)

If you do have an eligible card and it doesn’t seem to be working, we recommend you get in touch with Centrelink, or the department that issued the card.

You can update your concession details by giving us a call at 1300 599 008.

Have your concession card details handy as we’ll need the card type, state, customer reference number and valid-from date.

What number should I ring during emergency, power outage

In case of emergencies, stay calm and call Triple Zero (000) from a safe location.


If you are experiencing a power outage, please contact your electricity distributor in your area.

To find out who your distributor is, please check your power bill.

Queensland:  Energex – 13 62 62

New South Wales:  Ausgrid – 13 13 88 | Essential – 13 20 82 | Endeavour – 13 10 03

Victoria:  AusNet – 13 17 99 | CitiPower – 13 12 80 | Jemena – 13 16 26 | Powercor – 13 24 12 | United Energy – 13 20 99

South Australia: SA Power Networks – 13 13 66

Tasmania:  Tas Networks – 13 20 04

I received a call/an email from a person on behalf of your company, is this a scam?

Not sure if that email from Future X Power is real or not? This is what you can look out for:

  1. Check the sender’s email address. If the sender’s domain is not futurexpower.com.au, it might be a scam.
  2. After you have signed up with us, we will use customerservice@futurexpower.com.au and 1300 599 008 to contact you.

If you believe you have got a scam email or phone call, please let us know. Our Live Chat team will pass on the message and prevent the possible scam from spreading further. Just scroll down and hit the “chat with us” button or contact our Customer Service Team at 1300 599 008.

It’s also important that you don’t click on any links, open attachments, download pictures or forward the email. All you need to do is to delete it from your inbox.

I am having trouble paying my bill on time…

If you are not able to pay your bill on time, just let us know – we have a team here to help.

In most cases, we can delay your bill’s due date to give you more time to pay. Just give us a call at 1300 599 008 to request a payment extension.

My details are incorrect on my concession card - what can I do?

Get in touch with Centrelink, or the relevant department. They should be able to issue you with a new card. You can then update your concession details by giving us a call at 1300 599 008.

What is peak time, off-peak time and shoulder?

You may well have noticed on your bill reference to peak, off-peak and shoulder charges.

The meaning of these vary according to the kind of tariff you’re on. This information can be found in the contract you received when you signed up to your natural gas or electricity plan.

If you’re on a time of use tariff, your electricity charges are different depending on the time of day, and your usage charges will show different amounts against peak, off-peak and shoulder times.

  • Peak time is when most households are using energy and there is a high demand on the grid. Using energy during this time will mean you’ll be charged higher rates than in off-peak or shoulder periods.
  • Off-peak time is the time of day when fewer people are using energy and there is less demand on the power grid. During this time, you can use energy at reduced rates.
  • Shoulder time is the period between peak and off-peak where there is a normal demand on the power grid and your rates will sit somewhere in the middle.

What is a smart meter?

A smart, or smart digital, meter records your electricity usage hourly. It then feeds it back to your retailer (us) every 1 to 2 days.

This is what you look out for:

  • If you have a smart digital meter, you’ll be able to see hourly usage and multiple tabs.
  • If you have a basic meter, you’ll see your usage by bill periods.

How do I read my meter?

Although we do not accept self-meter read currently, knowing how to read your own meter still can help you to understand your usage and bills.

Click here to view the sample bill.

Step 1: Find

The most common place to find your electricity meter is:

  • Front of house
  • Garage
  • Porch
  • External wall

Step 2: Identify

Check the meter serial number matches the one on your bill.

There are many different types of meters. Here are the most common ones

  • Clock display
  • Odometer display
  • Digital display

Step 3: Read

Making sense of the numbers is easy when you know what to look for.

On a Clock display meter, you’ll see a number of clocks on the screen:

  • Read the clocks from left to right
  • For some meters the clocks turn in opposite directions.
  • If the clock hand is between 2 numbers record the lower number unless it is between 9 and 0 then it’s a 9

Odometer display meters often have a lot of zeroes.

  • Make sure you include all the leading zeroes.
  • If a dial is between numbers, record the lower number.

A digital display meter is the easy one. Just note down all the numbers.

When there are lots of clocks or zeroes on the screen, it’s helpful to check your last meter read and make sure the number is in a similar range.

Which meter read will you use to issue my bill?

There are two types of readings we can use to issue your bill. Most of the time, we use them in this order:

  1. An actual reading from your distributor. (It’s often the most accurate.)
  2. When we don’t have an actual read, we’ll use an estimated read from your distributor.

What is the NMI?

An NMI, or National Meter Identifier, is a unique 10- or 11-digit number given to every networked electrical connection in Australia.
You will find your NMI in your customer portal, or on the first page of your bill.

My meter has been read, when do I get a bill?

We’re on it – your next bill will get sent out a week or two after your meter read.

What is a basic meter?

A basic meter records your energy usage as you go, on a dial or display on the meter. It requires regular reading to understand your usage amounts between given periods of time. It’s calculated by adding up the kWhs (electricity).

How long will it take to upgrade my meter?

As your retailer, we expect to upgrade your meter within 15 business days from the date we receive the electrical work request (EWR) from your distributors.

Please make sure your electrician sends the EWR to your distributor, otherwise we are not able to arrange meter upgrade for your premises.

How do I disconnect my old address?

Contact your old energy provider to disconnect your old home and get your final bill. If you’re already a Future X Power customer, give us a call at 1300 599 008.

  • Choose the disconnect date that suits you. Some meters can be disconnected from 7am on the day you choose, so if you need power on your moving day, it might be best to disconnect the day after.
  • Moving to a new property doesn’t automatically disconnect your current address. You can keep the address active for as long as you like, and close it when the timing suits you. If you’re leaving the house but want to set up the account in someone else’s name (like a housemate), get the new account holder to sign up by giving us a call at 1300 599 008.
  • Your distributor will come out to do a final meter read or disconnection service, which requires 3-4 business days’ notice.

What do I need to do with my electricity connection before move?

Please contact us on customerservice@futurexpower.com.au or 1300 599 008 to request the disconnection service.

Is there any fees for moving-in and moving-out?

We don’t charge a moving fee, but a service fee might be charged by your distributor for disconnections and/or connections.

Can I get electricity connected on the same day I move in?

You can arrange your move as far in advance as you like, just pick the day before you’re due to move in as the connection date.

Electricity can be connected the same business day if you let us know by giving us a call at 1300 599 008 before 12pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

However, we can’t guarantee that as it all depends on your electricity distributor, we’ll try our best to help you with this.

*Not available in all areas or for new properties.

Do I need to be there when my new address is connected ?

That depends on where you live and whether or not the property has been disconnected. Don’t worry though, once you’ve booked your move, we’ll keep in touch every step of the way and let you know what you need to do. Just keep an eye on your emails and we’ll let you know the process.

If you’re in Queensland and your new home doesn’t currently have power, a Visual Safety Inspection (VSI) is required by law. When you book your move, you’ll be asked to choose a 5-hour window for when this inspection can take place.

Do I need to call my current retailer to request a transfer?

All you need to do is call Future X Power to request a transfer. Once the transfer has been approved, the system will transfer your account from your current retailer to Future X Power.

How do I cancel my account ?

Moving house

Close the account for your old house by giving us a call at 1300 599 008 or online chat. We’ll tell you about any disconnection fees that apply along the way.

You don’t need to be home for the disconnection, however, be aware that some meters can be disconnected from 7 am on the day you choose. It might be better to book your disconnection for the day after you move out.

Switching to another provider

We’re sorry to see you go. You don’t need to call us to close the account. The transfer will be exercised automatically and transfer to your preferred retailer.

Change your mind?

Every new plan has a cooling off period of at least ten days. This gives you the chance to change your mind and either reconnect with us or choose another provider. We’d love to have you back.

My business has closed, how do I disconnect my account?

You can close your business’ energy account easily, online chat with us or give us a call at 1300 599 008. We’ll make sure you’re disconnected within 3 business days.

Need to move your small business account to another address?

You can organise your move in 3 simple steps:

  1. Compare our latest small business offer for your new address
  2. Once you’ve chosen a plan, we’ll ask for your new business address and move in date. We’ll organise to connect the property, ready for move in.
  3. Close the account for your old location by contacting us through email or phone.

We’ll tell you about any connection or disconnection fees that apply along the way. You don’t usually need to be on site for the move in or the disconnection, unless there’s a chance we’ll have problems accessing the meter. It’s also good to know, some meters can be disconnected from 7 am on the day you choose. It might be better to book your disconnection for the day after you move out.

Ready again?

Ready to start again? Just head to our small business plan page. You can choose a new plan and get set up in just a few minutes online.

What are your cheapest electricity plans?

Get a great deal on electricity when you sign up online!

Check out the options on our plan selector page – you might even be able to grab a special discount for signing up online.

Do I need to pass credit check to open a Future X Power account?

The answer is, sometimes.

If you’re an existing Future X Power customer, moving to a new house, changing your plan or adding a new product to your account, we won’t need to run a credit check for any new energy plan.

If you’re switching to Future X Power and signing up for one of our products, we’ll need to run a credit check.

We do this to understand your ability to take financial responsibility and pay regular bills before signing you up to a binding agreement.

What happens if I fail the credit check?

If you have a high-risk credit, it’s possible we won’t be able to offer you an energy plan. When this is the case, we’ll let you know and recommend another option for you.

What are my rates?

You can call our customer service team on 1300 599 008 or reach us on Live Chat.

You can also find the information on your welcome pack we sent you when you signed up.

What is a controlled load ?

Controlled load is a special type of electricity rate, or tariff, for high-energy appliances. It’s ideal for things that use a lot of energy, like underfloor heating or hot water systems.

You’ll need to have a separate meter installed to get a controlled load tariff. Just head to Live Chat and we can sort this out.

If you’re seeing controlled load on your bill and don’t know why, it could be that someone who lived there before you installed it. If the reading of the controlled load meter readings remains the same for the billing cycle, that means there is no charge for the controlled load usage. If you have any questions about your controlled load usage, just jump on Live Chat and our customer service agent will give you detailed explanations.

What is a tariff code? (Anytime and Time of Use)

A tariff explains how you get charged for your electricity usage. Like most retailers, we offer two different kinds of tariffs – Anytime rate and Time of Use (TOU).

Anytime rate tariff also known as a single (flat) rate, doesn’t have any peak and off-peak periods. So, you pay the same rate always regardless of the time of the day you use energy.

Time of use tariff means that you pay different rates during different times of the day – peak when energy costs the most, off-peak when it’s the cheapest and shoulder when it’s a bit less than peak.

What is supply charge?

Your supply charge is what you pay to an energy provider for supplying electricity to your address. It isn’t related to how much energy you use.

Your supply charge is listed on your bill as a daily rate. Our supply charge differs according to your plan and who your distributor is. The charge covers some costs of maintaining and operating the electricity network.

What are additional charges?

These charges may include late payment fees, credit card payment fees or any other type of charges. When you move home, your distributor may charge a disconnection/re-connection fee that can vary depending on which state you live and may change from time to time.

Disconnection fee applies when you move out of your old property and power is disconnected.

Re-connection fee applies when you move into your new property and power is reconnected. We will pass on these charges to you.

What is a solar feed-in tariff?

Excess solar generation will be sent back to the power grid, and you may eligible for the credit of it, this is called feed-in tariff. Tariff rates depend on your state and may be funded by your state government, your energy retailer, or a mix of both.

Covid-19 Update

 

Find out how we’re supporting you, your family and your business through this hard time.