Origin hot water bills explained

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If you live in an apartment complex, it’s likely that you have ‘centralised’ or ‘bulk’ hot water. The building’s body corporate or management will typically select the supplier and in many cases, this is Origin – one of Australia’s largest energy retailers. 

Read on to learn all you need to know about Origin Energy’s hot water service and billing system. We also dissect an Origin hot water bill to highlight the key parts that you should be aware of.

What is bulk hot water?

Bulk hot water is an arrangement whereby residents in a multi-tenant complex share one large hot water system. The body corporate is in charge of finding a bulk hot water supplier, and this bulk provider is in charge of hot water maintenance, meter monitoring and customer billing. Each residence has its own hot water meter, meaning customers are only billed for their own water usage – not the usage of their neighbours.

Origin is one of the largest bulk hot water suppliers in Australia.

Origin Energy hot water services

Origin Energy offers a range of hot water services for houses, townhouses, units and apartments. As mentioned, Origin Energy is responsible for reading apartment customers’ water meters and issuing their bill – usually once every three months. 

Your hot water bill is separate to your electricity or natural gas bill. However,  those bills do not factor in the energy it costs to heat up your water so as to ensure you’re not double-charged. 

Although Origin Energy previously sold and installed hot water systems, this service is currently unavailable to customers.

Origin hot water bills explained

If you have never lived in an apartment before hot water bills might seem to be foreign. Fortunately, Origin Energy bills are pretty straightforward once you understand what to look for. Below we have a sample Origin hot water bill from an apartment resident. Underneath the image is an explanation of the bill corresponding with each of the numbered components.

1. Account details: This section contains your customer number, invoice number, issue date and total amount due.

2. Due date: The date the payment is due. In the case of a direct debit, your account will be billed on this day.

3. Tax invoice account summary: A summation of the net invoice total or the amount due. This features the balance brought forward, less payments, any new charges and any other adjustments since your previous bill.

4. Important information: This notice relates to your account or invoice.

5. How to pay: Various payment options, featuring instructions, codes and additional fees that may apply.

6. Payments and adjustments: Displays any payment or credit applied to your account since the last invoice.

7. Total charges: A summation of the period’s meter read information and the location. This section features the present reading, the previous reading, the metered volume, a correction factor, correction volume, as well as the supply rate per litre and any metered supply charge.

8. Origin contact: Details to contact Origin Energy.

Can I switch bulk hot water providers?

No, it is generally the case that you are unable to switch hot water providers if you live in an apartment. As you share your hot water system with other residents, it is up to the body corporate to select a bulk hot water provider. 

If you have an issue with Origin or another hot water supplier, be sure to raise it with your body corporate and they may be able to assist you.

Origin hot water prices

Most centralised hot water systems use natural gas. Natural gas hot water systems are generally much cheaper to run than their electric counterparts, costing customers only a few cents per megajoule of gas. 

In addition to usage costs, hot water customers are also billed a ‘supply charge’, which is a daily fixed fee that is designed to reflect the cost of transporting the gas to your property for water heating. The exact rates you pay will vary depending on your location and the deal that your building manager is able to strike with Origin.

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Why is my Origin hot water bill high?

There are several reasons why your Origin hot water bill is higher than expected. The most obvious and simple explanation is that you’ve used more hot water than in the previous billing period – this could be due to seasonal changes (e.g. going into winter), more people in the household, or the installation of new, less efficient appliances. There may also be a fault or leak somewhere which is leading to more water usage.

A higher bill could also be due to changes in the usage or supply rates, although you can check this against previous bills. You may also have been given an estimated meter reading, which is based on the average usage in your home the previous year- if this is the case, you’ll see an ‘E’ for estimated on your bill.

Ultimately, your first step in resolving a suspiciously-high bulk hot water bill is to speak to your body corporate.

Can I go on an Origin hot water system payment plan?

Origin Energy offers energy use payment plans to eligible customers, which allow you to pay for your usage in instalments – similar to bill smoothing. Bulk and centralised hot water users will need to contact Origin for more information.

Are Origin hot water systems a good deal?

Centralised hot water is an incredibly convenient arrangement – all of your hot water needs are sorted and you don’t need to lift a finger. The downside is that you have no say about who supplies your hot water. 

If your apartment is signed up to Origin and you’re adamant on shopping around, then your only option may be to move out. With that said, some Australian state governments are considering ways of improving utilities competition for multi-tenant residences, so a future where apartment customers have free reign of their hot water might not be far off.

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Original author: Brendon O’Neill