Electricity and gas prices: quickly read the meter reading and save costs

Created: 12/29/2022, 1:00 p.m

By: Anne Hund

If you read your meter readings in good time and inform your energy supplier, you have an advantage, according to consumer advocates.

Anyone who has to reckon with higher prices in the coming year should read the meter reading at the end of the year and report it to the supplier.

The Bremen consumer advice center advises this.

Otherwise, the supplier estimates the current status.

Electricity and gas: Check the meter reading at the end of the year

"If no employee of the energy supplier comes to you to take a reading, the current meter reading is estimated on the basis of consumption from the previous year," said the consumer advice center on December 28th.

It's better to tell them the exact meter reading - it's often easy to get a few euros off the bill that way.

Energy prices have risen.

You should keep a close eye on the costs.

© Hans-Jürgen Wiedl/dpa

Consumer center advises: read the meter reading on December 31, 2022

"By reading the meter reading on 31.12.

money can be saved with little effort," says the statement from the consumer center in Bremen in general.

There, energy consultant Inse Ewen also advises: “We recommend that every household read the meter reading at the end of the year and inform the energy supplier.

Not only can you start the new year with a good feeling, but you can also avoid the nasty surprise at the end of the year.”

"Reading the meter reading is not rocket science"

What is the best way to go about reading the meter?

"Most energy suppliers offer the service that the current meter reading can be entered directly in the online portal," is the tip from the Bremen consumer advice center.

“With a login, an area can be opened on the website in which all meters can be seen and the meter readings can be updated.

If this is not possible, the customer hotline can be called and the current status can be given with the appropriate meter number or customer number.”

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Electricity and gas: read the meter reading correctly – is the consumption correct?

The North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) consumer advice center also generally advises checking the meter readings - and if available - the previous bill - to see whether the billed consumption is correct.

What you have to consider with gas: “The meter measures cubic meters, billing is in kilowatt hours (kWh).

If you multiply the cubic meters by ten, you roughly get the number of kWh.

Was the consumption estimated and is the estimate too high?

Then, according to the consumer advice center, you should “inform your electricity or gas provider of the actual meter reading so that they can correct the bill”.

If the provider has estimated your consumption, "he must point this out visually in the invoice", the consumer advice center NRW also reports.

In addition, the provider must state the reason for the estimate in the invoice and list the factors on which the estimate is based.

"Upon request, the provider must explain the estimate made to you in text form."

The gas price brake will not take effect until March, but will apply retrospectively from January 2023.

Experts have calculated what relief this can mean in the household.