FAQs
This page contains a list of frequently asked questions and their answers - it's a good place to start if you're trying to find the answer to a question. If you can't find the answer to your question please call our local customer service team on
0800 523 637 – we're here to help.
Changes to your electricity billing.
The Lines Company are now billing their charges independently from retailers. The change means that all King Country Energy customers on The Lines Company network will receive two bills each month instead of one. King Country Energy will remain your electricity retailer and your electricity account will continue to be sent monthly but will no longer contain The Lines Company charges.
• What is The Lines Company's role?
• When will the change happen?
• Will this impact my power electricity supply?
• Will I be charged twice for the same service?
• Why will The Lines Company be sending me a separate account?
• How will this affect me as a King Country Energy customer?
• Why does this change affect my power bill?
• What about my rebate?
• Will this affect my payments to King Country Energy?
• Who will this affect?
General Questions
• How do I get King Country Energy to supply my power?
• Why do I phone The Lines Company when there is a fault in my area?
• Why do you ask for my date of birth or other forms of identification when you sign me up?
• Why is my bill suddenly higher this month?
• How can I pay my account?
• Why does my account number change when I move?
• Do I need to let you know if any of my contact details change?
• How often will I get an electricity account?
What is The Lines Company's role?
The Lines Company is the company that owns and manages the electricity distribution network for most of the King Country. They are responsible for the power lines, transformers and other network equipment which carries the electricity to your home or business. You can visit their web site www.thelinescompany.co.nz for more information.
When will the change happen?
The Lines Company started billing for line charges from 1 October 2005. This will mean that your October bill from us will include your line charges up to 30 September. The Lines Company has advised that you will start receiving two bills instead of one from November 2005.
Will this impact my power electricity supply?
No. Your power supply is not affected by this change – just the way that you are billed. You will continue to receive your electricity from King Country Energy and it will continue to be delivered by The Lines Company. The only difference is that you will receive two separate bills instead of one.
Will I be charged twice for the same service?
No. All the charges shown on The Lines Company portion of our bill will simply be billed to you directly.
Why will The Lines Company be sending me a separate account?
The Lines Company advised King Country Energy that some retailers (not King Country Energy) have had difficulty billing their charges. Because of this they were left with the choice of either billing direct or simplifying charges to rural and business users, which they say would have led to significant price increases to homes and small businesses. The Lines Company also say that by separating the charges it gives them the freedom to meet different customer needs. If you would like further information please contact them directly on
0800 367 546.
How will this affect me as a King Country Energy customer?
King Country Energy will still be your electricity retailer. We will continue to bill you for your electricity usage and provide high quality, personal service. However, from Novemeber 2005 most customers will receive a separate bill for transporting electricity to your premises. This bill will come from The Lines Company.
Why does this change affect my power bill?
King Country Energy (your electricity retailer) currently passes on The Lines Company (your network distributor) charges to you on your King Country Energy bill. The change will mean you will receive a King Country Energy bill for the amount of electricity used and a separate bill from The Lines Company for their costs of transporting the electricity to your home or business.
What about my rebate?
In the past King Country Energy has placed The Lines Company discount onto your electricity account on behalf of The Lines Company. The Lines Company have advised us that in future they will apply discounts onto your account with them and the next discount should be on the account you receive in November
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Will this affect my payments to King Country Energy?
No, you will still pay King Country Energy for the electricity you use. Your existing direct debits and automatic payments do not need to be changed unless you find that your payments to King Country Energy are higher than you need.
You may need to set up a new payment with The Lines Company.
Who will this affect?
If you currently receive a King Country Energy account with The Lines Company charges included (most King Country Energy customers) this change will affect you. The change will apply to all customers within The Lines Company region no matter who their electricity retailer may be.
Note - customers who live in areas that are not serviced by The Lines Company will not be affected by this change and will continue to receive a single account for their electricity and lines charges from King Country Energy.
How do I get King Country Energy to supply my power?
If you would like to make King Country Energy your energy supplier please see our Get Power page or contact our customer service team on 0800 523 637 and we can arrange it over the phone.
Why do I phone The Lines Company when there is a fault in my area?
The Lines Company is the network provider for the greater King Country Area. They own and maintain the network which supplies electricity to your home or business. When there is fault in your area they need to be notified so they can respond to the problem immediately. For more information about The Lines Company please click on the link below.
The Lines Company
Why do you ask for my date of birth or other forms of identification when you sign me up?
We use this information to help identify you when you call us. To help ensure your privacy is protected we only discuss your account with you or with someone you have nominated to act on your behalf.
Why is my bill suddenly higher this month?
There are a range of reasons why your account may be higher than usual.
Start by checking to see if your previous account was estimated – if it was, it is possible that you used more energy than we estimated. This will mean that your current account is catching up on previous usage. To check, find your last actual reading, calculate the difference between the two read accounts and average the usage over the number of months in question.
e.g.
February - reading of 15155
April - reading of 16755
Difference of actual usage is 1600 units over a two month period, therefore I have used approximately 800 units per month. Looking back, this is what I usually use.
If you haven't had an estimated account it may be that something has changed in your home. Think about the following things, they may be the reason you are using more power than usual:
Have got a new appliance?
Have you been using more hot water than usual?
Have you had extra people staying?
Is there a new baby in the house?
Are you using a heater or other appliance which you weren't using previously?
If you need further assistance figuring out where you are using power you may want to contact our call centre for further things to check or contact your local electrician to have a look.
How can I pay my account?
We offer a range of options that allow you to pay your account in the way most convenient to you. Go to our Ways to Pay for information on how you can pay your account.
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Why does my account number change when I move?
Your account number is specific to the location which you receive power. This means if you move you will get a new account number because you are getting power in a new location.
If you move and use automatic payment, telephone or internet banking you will need to ensure you update your account details with the bank so that your payments go to the correct account in our system.
How often will I get an electricity account?
You will receive an electricity account every month. Depending on where you live or if we have access to your meter you may receive estimated accounts some months and actual readings for others.
Do I need to let you know if any of my contact details change?
In order for us to provide you with the best service it is important that we are able to remain in contact with you. Please inform us as soon as possible if any of your contact details change, either in person, by phone, or in writing.
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