My Account

• Why is my bill high?

  Your bill could be higher than expected due to a few reasons:

  • Your bill may have been generated based on an estimate read. If you do receive an estimated bill, any difference between your last actual read and your next actual read would balance out. You can check your consumption and type of reading on the back of your bill.
  • You may have been billed for a longer period than usual – you can check the number of days you have been billed for on your bill.
  • You may be on the wrong user plan. To check what user plan is right for your home, click here.
  • You may have had visitors staying with you during this period
  • You may have used your heater or air conditioning more than usual
  • Your gas heater or heat pump may need a service
  • You could have a faulty appliance that is using more electricity then it should. Read below for information on how to do a “two-man test”

  To check if one of your appliances is faulty and using more electricity than it should, you can do a “two-man test”:

  1. Turn off all appliances in your home (including hot water cylinder) and take a meter reading
  2. Have a friend stand at the meter while you turn on one appliance and see how much the meter reading increases
  3. Then turn this appliance off, go to another one and turn it on
  4. Go through each appliance one by one. If you notice one appliance is causing the meter reading to increase much faster than other devices, this could mean that the appliance is faulty and using more electricity than it should

   If you believe an appliance is faulty, it is best to contact an electrician to repair the appliance or replace it.

  If you have any further questions, please feel free to email our team on customer.care@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz

• Why do I have such a high consumption?

  You could have high consumption due to a few reasons:

  • Your bill may have been generated based on an estimate read. If you do receive an estimated bill, any difference between your last actual read and your next actual read would balance out. You can check your consumption and type of reading on the back of your bill.

  • You may be on the wrong user plan. To check what user plan is right for your home, click here.
  • You may have had visitors staying with you during this period.
  • You may have used your heater or air conditioning more than usual.
  • Your gas heater or heat pump may need a service.
  • You could have a faulty appliance that is using more electricity than it should. 

  We recommend you do a “two-man test” if you feel like the consumption is incorrect on your bill, alternatively we can raise a meter test for you. 

  A meter test is when we check your meter for any potential faults that could be the reason for your meter recording high consumption. Meter tests are the last option we refer to, due to the high cost and the timeframe it can take for the test results to come back. 

  If you believe an appliance is faulty, it is best to contact an electrician to repair the appliance or replace it.

  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our customer care team.

• Consumer Care Policy

  Looking after our customers is important to us. Our Consumer Care Policy details our commitment to look after our customers and information to help you manage your account.

• How do I read my meter?

  For details on how to read your meter, click here.

• I need help paying my power bill

  If you are having trouble paying your bill, please email customer.care@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz to discuss your payment options.

  MoneyTalks is a great free financial helpline that offers confidential budgeting advice to individuals, family and whanau. Their team of Financial Mentors provide free advice, support and connect people with local budgeting services in their community. For more information or to book a free appointment click here.

• How to pay your bill online

  Paying your bill online is safe and secure. Simply follow these steps below

  1. Log into your My Account
  2. View the invoice you would like to pay
  3. Select pay your bill online from the top left menu
  4. Then select pay with credit card

   If you have not registered for My Account, follow these easy instructions here.

• How do I set up a My Account?

  Registering for My Account is easy. All it takes is four simple steps:

  1. Go to My Account – Saber Online
  2. Enter your email address
  3. Enter your Account Number (twice) - this can be found on the top front of your bill
  4. You will then be sent a confirmation email to set up your password

  Please note that you can register for My Account once you receive your first power bill.

• How do I organise a reconnection?

  If you have been disconnected, please contact our team on 0800 843 769 to organise a reconnection. For Reconnection Fees click here.

• How do I switch User Plans? (Standard or Low User)

  If you think you’re on the wrong plan, please fill in this online form and we’ll be more than happy to have a look at the figures and help you move to the plan that best suits your needs.

  You can request to switch User Plans free of charge once a year. Please note that this request may be declined if your local Lines Company are not willing to change your property to your preferred User Plan. We will notify you in writing if this is the case.

• How do I request my consumption?

  If you have been with us for over 12 months, you are able to request your consumption information. You can also locate this information on the graph on the front page of your bill.

  If you do need the full report, please fill in this online form and we will prepare the report for you within 10 working days.

• What are your terms and conditions?

  You can view our terms and conditions here.

• Why have I received a disconnection letter?

  You have received a disconnection letter because your account is overdue. Please call us on 0800 843 769 to arrange payment to avoid disconnection. If you have made a payment before the date of the letter, please call us to confirm your payment details.

• Why do I have to give a reading to close the account?

  So we can finalise your account to actual reads and only charge you for the electricity you have used.

  If you would like us to schedule an actual read, we can organise a contractor to visit your property. The fee is $30, and we require 10-15 days’ notice.

  If you have a smart meter, please call us three days after you have closed the account and we can remotely read the meter.

• What is the delivery part for on my bill?

  On your bill we itemise each charge so you can see exactly what you are paying for. Delivery is all charges related to the delivery of your electricity, which includes Network Services, Retailer Services, Metering and the Electricity Authority Levy.

• Why do I pay so much for my bach when it’s empty?

  Most baches would generally be low users as they are not used all year round, however only primary residences can be on a Low User plan. This means that your bach will be on a Standard User plan, giving you a higher daily rate and a slightly lower rate for each unit of electricity you use. 

  Every electricity company in New Zealand must adhere to this regulation. To find out more about Standard and Low User plans click here. 

• I haven’t received a dividend from my network yet

  The annual dividend you receive is from the lines company trust in your area. To find out their contact details click here.

• Do you have an App that shows your usage?

  No, we currently don’t have an App. To find out how much power you have used over a certain period, you can request this here.

• How do I update my details?

  Please email customer.care@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz. Don’t forget to include your Account Number and the details you would like to change.

• What do I do if the account holder has passed away?

  Please call us on 0800 843 769 so we can take care of this for you. Someone will either need to take over the property or the account will need to be closed. We also require a copy of the death certificate or death notice.

• I have received an email / phone call asking for personal information without verification.

  Please note that our team will never ask for your personal information (Bank details, passwords etc) without verifying you first.

  If you receive an email or phone call asking for personal information without verification, please do not respond and report this to us immediately.

• How do I change the authority of my account?

  Only the main account holder can add an authorised contact to an account. If you are an authorised contact and you wish to change your contact details or remove yourself as a contact, please contact our customer care team to action this. All contacts on the account are able to make inquiries about your account.

• How do I cancel my account?

  To cancel your account, please email us on customer.care@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz or call us on 0800 843 769.

• Where can I find my ICP number?

  Each property has a unique ICP number which identifies it on the New Zealand electricity network.

  You can find this number on your power bill, which is normally located under your invoice number. If you are a Pioneer Energy Retail customer, it’s located on the right-hand side of the second page. It is 15 digits long, mostly containing numbers however it will have a few letters.

  If you are with another retailer, your ICP number can usually be found on your meter, or if you provide us with your meter serial number, we can locate it for you.

• How do I change my plan?

  To change your plan, please email our team on customer.care@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz. We allow one free plan change every 12 months. If you want to change your plan more than this, a $15.00 fee will apply.

• Do you assist vulnerable and medically dependent customers?

  If you are a medically dependent or vulnerable customer, please contact us on 0800 843 769 and we will make sure you are looked after. You will need to fill in the medically dependent form here.  

• Do I get a prompt payment discount (PPD)?

  We don’t have a prompt payment discount as we have already built this into our prices, we simply offer you a great price upfront, without any fear of losing the discount if you miss a payment. We simply charge $1.15 per day for each day you are late.

  Our Customer Care Team can help you if you miss a payment. Choosing to pay by Direct Debit is the best way to avoid this situation. You can set up a Direct Debit online here. 

• What do I do if I wish to give feedback or make a complaint?

  Pioneer Energy Retail aims to provide you with the best possible service. If you have any feedback you can call us on 0800 843 769 (Monday-Friday 8am-5pm), or email customer.care@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz

  If you have a complaint, you can email us at resolutions@pioneerenergyretail.co.nz. Our team would be more than happy to help you. Alternatively, you can fill in our feedback or complaints form here 

   

  Our staff will:

  Acknowledge your complaint in writing within 2 working days and respond to you within 7 working days regarding a resolution.

  Attempt to resolve your complaint within 20 working days, however, in some cases, it can take up to 40 working days to resolve, we may write to you to explain why this is.

   

  You may refer your dispute to the Utilities Disputes if:

  You are unhappy with the way we propose to resolve your dispute.

  Your dispute is not resolved within 20 Working Days of receiving it.

   

  Utilities Disputes:

  Freepost 192682

  PO Box 5875

  Lambton Quay

  Wellington 6145

  Freephone: 0800 22 33 40 or (04) 914 4630

  Email: info@utilitiesdisputes.co.nz

  Website: www.utilitiesdisputes.co.nz
• Will I still get my Lines Company Dividend?

  Absolutely. The annual dividend you receive is from the lines company trust in your area.

• What do I do if I am a medically dependent customer?

  If you or someone living with you, are depend on electricity for critical medical support and disconnection of electricity may result in loss of life or serious harm, please contact us on 0800 843 769 immediately. You will need to fill in the medically dependent form here.  

• Is there a fee to change my plan?

  We allow one free plan change every 12 months. If you want to change your plan more than this, a $15.00 fee will apply.