Yes, this is required – and, it’s definitely in your best interests. All energy customers are required to provide safe and unhindered access to their meter/s. This ensures you are billed for the correct amount of energy you use

If you have a metric meter, such as the one we have provided below, simply record the numbers on your meter from left to right. In the example we’ve provided below the reading is simply 4372.

 

4    3    7    2

 

If you have an imperial meter, otherwise known as a dial meter, record the number for each dial, reading from left to right. If a pointer falls anywhere between two numbers, always record the lower number.

No. Sumo is pleased to provide gas as additional service to our electricity customers, but we do not currently gas as a standalone service.

Customers who joined Sumo prior to 1 July 2019 may have discounts off their usage charges only. We do not apply discounts to the daily supply charge, or any additional fees and charges. Post 1 July 2019 we now offer customers a new benefits product.

At Sumo, we have no lock in contracts or no exit fees.

Please find a copy of our latest retail Market Terms and Conditions here.

You may be wondering, why is Sumo increasing the price of my electricity? The short answer is, it is becoming more expensive to supply. Generation costs have risen 150% in the last 18 months.

 

Below we have given you the longer answer and it’s worth a read to give you a more in-depth understanding of why price rises are happening and what Sumo is doing about it.

 

1. Generation
Climate change and ageing assets are forcing the closure of cheap coal fired power stations like Victoria’s Hazelwood, and to fill the void we rely on more expensive gas fired power to meet Victoria’s demand. As more of Australia’s coal fired stations come up for closure in the coming years, we will need to generate more and more electricity by other means such as gas to meet customer demand.

Renewable energy sources are still expensive and they don’t generate electricity all the time. The good news is they’re becoming cheaper, and batteries will help to supply electricity when renewable sources don’t, like at night when the sun isn’t shining.

Historically, gas lines have run from the Bass Strait direct to Victoria, giving us cheap and plentiful gas. However, Australia’s ever-growing gas network has seen this gas being delivered into New South Wales and Queensland, and for the first time in 40 years gas is now being shipped overseas to foreign buyers in Asia. Unfortunately, sending Australia’s gas overseas means that Australians must pay the higher global price for gas. And so long as we still rely on gas to generate electricity, this is also driving up the wholesale price of electricity.

 

2. Distribution
Once electricity has been generated, someone needs to send it to you via the poles and wires – these are who we call the ‘distributors’. The distributors own and look after the network that connects the electricity to your home.

Every few years energy distributors are given the go ahead from the Australian Energy Regulator to upgrade their networks and then charge that cost back, plus a little more, to you the customer. Australia’s networks need to cover large distances, but we also expect them to be very reliable (‘gold-plated’), which costs money. To illustrate, America has a total of 320 million people and a network worth $126 billion; in Australia we have 24 million people but a network that is worth over $100 billion! The cost of that network has been passed onto you, the consumer.

 

3. Retailers
As a retailer (Sumo) we buy our energy from the generators, pay a fee to the distributors, and then sell this to you the customer. As a business, I’m sure you can appreciate we also need to charge a margin so that we can provide you service and support, such as getting your home connected. At Sumo we keep our costs to a minimum because we too are energy customers and understand the pain and frustration of mounting energy costs.

So, what is Sumo doing about rising prices? We are working hard to wrestle better power prices from those that produce energy. We are lobbying governments and engaging with national regulators to improve the situation for customers.

As your retail electricity supplier, we’re determined that all our customers are armed with the information they need to monitor their energy usage. That’s why we have introduced a proactive text messaging system so that when we see you are using more power than you usually do – which will result in higher bills – we’ll alert you and provide tips on how you can keep your bills down.

 

In the meantime, we’ll be working as hard as ever to ensure our customers have access to the best value.

There’s a simple way to find out. Simply enter your address here to find out if gas is available in your area.

Moving to Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland or South Australia? Let’s get you connected. Click here for more information or simply call us now on 13 88 60.

If you have a complaint, please contact us so we can attempt to resolve the matter for you.

 

Website: sumo.com.au 
Phone: 13 88 60

 

You always have the option to contact the ombudsman in your state through the details below for assistance or review of the outcome of your complaint.

 

Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW


Energy & Water Ombudsman Victoria

 

Energy & Water Ombudsman Queensland

No. We have a variety of payment options including telephone, online, and BPAY all of which can be found here or on the front page of your gas bill. A lot of our customers use the quick pay button on the front page of our website. We encourage direct debit because it is the easiest way to save you time and never forget a bill.

Check your junk or spam folder in your emails as some email providers automatically filter your emails if they believe it is junk or spam. Once you have marked anything from Sumo as not junk or spam, nothing we send you should go to that folder. If you still haven’t received this within 6 business days (if you have selected post) or within 4 business days (for email) please send us an enquiry via email or call us on 13 88 60.

Making changes to the way you use gas could help you save on your next electricity bill. Here are a few simple ideas for your home:

 

  • If you’re using a gas oven, your oven heats up much faster – so if you’re recipe requires you to ‘pre-heat the oven’, you can spend less time doing so with gas.
  • Turn your oven off just before the cooking is done. The heat contained in the oven should finish the job nicely.
  • Set your hot water temperature to 50 degrees Celsius – most houses set their thermostats too high, which requires cool water to make the water bearable when showering.
  • Likewise, if you have central heating thermostats, choosing a lower temperature can save a great amount of gas.
  • It’s common sense, but don’t let heat escape unnecessarily. Check the room for draughts, and make sure your windows are all closed so you aren’t working against yourself.
  • Have your gas appliances checked by an expert to make sure they are running as efficiently as possible.