1300 466 398 
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving FAQ’s
Q. How much notice do I need to give to connect my service?
A. We generally need one business day’s notice, assuming there is clear, safe access to the meter or if you have a remotely read meter (smart meter).
Q. What if I need an urgent connection?
A. No worries, just call us on 1300 466 398. We’re available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (AEST) (Excluding public holidays).
Q. What details do I need to provide?
A. You will need to provide the following:
- Your new address
- The date you are moving into the premise, or a specific date you would like power connected
- Business details such as company name, ABN, email address.
Q. Do I need to be at the property for the connection?
A. In most cases no. However, the distributor may need to be given access to the meter box.
Q. Are there any connection fees?
A. The distributor (a separate company to Next Business Energy) may charge a move-in or move-out fee. We will let you know if this is applicable and will let you know how much.
Q. What do I need to do to disconnect my old address?
A. If you’re an existing Next Business Energy customer, please call our Customer Service team on 1300 466 398 to arrange the disconnection of your old address. If you’re with another provider, you’ll need to contact them to close the account.
Q. Where can I find my main switch?
A. Your main switch is usually inside your fuse box or meter box. Depending on your property, it might be:
- On an outside wall
- Inside your property
- In a service cupboard
- Inside a central switchboard room (Office buildings/shopping centres. etc.)
Billing FAQ’s
Q. How are my invoices generated?
A. If you have a smart meter, Next Business Energy receives daily interval reads from the meter. Next Business Energy uses this real time data to generate your monthly electricity bill.
If you have a basic meter, Next Business Energy may receive estimated or actual meter reads either on a monthly or quarterly basis from your network provider, This data is used to generate an invoice on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Q. Why is my bill estimated?
A. If you don’t have a smart meter that can be read remotely, your meter needs to be read in-person. In some cases, there may be issues accessing the meter, This may be due to the meter being located inside the premises, behind a locked gate or an unsecured guard dog. In these cases, we may need to issue an Estimated Meter Read, which would be an estimated based on your previous usage pattern. Estimated meter reads will be displayed on your electricity bill. Once an Actual read is completed, the account will be reconciled and adjusted based on your actual usage.
If meter access is going to be an ongoing issue for your business, you can perform your own meter read. We will use this information to keep your account usage accurate and up to date. For more information on how to submit your own meter read, visit https://nbe.wordpressfix.com.au/estimated-meter-read/
Q. What does our Next Business Energy invoice contain?
A. Each Next Business Energy electricity invoice will show the total amount of electricity you have used including network changes, metering cost, service to property charges and any applicable taxes such as GST. To get a better understanding of your electricity bill, take a look at our Bill Explainer at https://nbe.wordpressfix.com.au/bill-explainer/
Q. Can I request an extension to pay my electricity invoice?
A. If you need more time to pay your bill, you can request payment extension by calling our Credit Management team on 1800 407 589.
If you find you are having greater difficulties paying your bill and would like to explore your options, our Credit Management team has a range of options to help you get back on track.
Q. I have a business with multiple sites. Do you offer consolidated billing?
A. Yes. For larger multi-site customers, Next Business Energy has developed a unique product called SmartBilling. SmartBilling is designed for significantly larger multi-site customers (typically over 10 to ,pre than 1,000 sites) whereby we can bill via a number of options, including via a Master Account with site bills sent to each location as a “Do Not Pay”, Master account with site bills payable by site and a detailed electronic format of all these options.
Efficiency FAQ’s
Q. How can I reduce my energy usage for my business?
A. There are many ways to reduce energy usage. Some can be the result of changing your usage habits, and others might be exploring renewable options.
Energy Efficient lighting
Energy Efficient lighting is a great way to reduce your lighting costs. You can reduce this cost by up to 70% by upgrading your old lighting to the latest energy-efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting technologies.
Solar & Batteries
A solar & Battery solution is a great way to significantly decrease your reliance on the Electricity grid. With the Federal government offering rebates and incentives, now could be the perfect time to invest in solar.
As part of the Next Green Group, Next Business Energy has access to dedicated energy experts committed to supporting Australian businesses in their journey towards sustainability and achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
Q. I have a number of business sites, some with solar. Can I share my solar across my other sites that do not have a solar installation?
A. Yes! Next Business Energy offers an Electricity plan called Next Share Direct. Using sophisticated ‘Powerracer’ software by Enosi, multie-site businesses can share their own excess solar generation or solar export, with other sites in their portfolio in the same state. You can find out more about Next Share Direct at https://nbe.wordpressfix.com.au/next-share-direct/
General FAQ’s
Q. How do I update my contact information?
A. Please call our Customer Service team on 1300 466 398.
Q. Why is my electricity invoice higher than usual?
A. There are a number of factors that can effect your electricity invoice. One of the most common reasons is the number of days in your billing cycle. This can sometimes occur if there are meter access issues or delays in receiving meter data.
If you find your usage has increased dramatically, this could be due to seasonal changes. For example, usage in summer could be significantly higher due to cooling your office or extra work with refrigeration.
Estimated meter reads can also affect the total amount of your electricity invoice. If a previously estimated read, or reads lower than your actual usage, the adjusted ‘actual read’ invoice can be higher to make up for your actual usage.
Q. How will Next Business Energy inform me about changes to my rates?
A. Next Business Energy will inform customers on changes to rates in the following ways:
- Next Business Energy will inform all customers in writing of any variation to tariffs and charges that will apply to their electricity account. These generally occur in July or August due to the annual review of the Default Market Offer or Victorian Default Offer. These prices reflect various factors including changes in wholesale electricity costs, network charges and retail operation expenses.
- At the time of quoting, Next Business Energy also acknowledges with customers that rates may change in line with Next Business Energy Market Terms and Conditions.
Q. When is my Next Business Energy electricity account due?
A. To avoid any late payment frees, Next Business Energy requires you to pay your monthly or quarterly invoice by its due date displayed on your electricity invoice. You can find out more about your electricity bill in our Bill Explainer page.