Electricity prices will change from August 1 for many households. Before this date, a very simple gesture can allow you to check that your next bill corresponds to your actual consumption.
As August 1 approaches, the date of entry into force of the new electricity prices for the offers concerned, many consumers are wondering if it is still possible to act on their bill. Although it is now too late to change your consumption over the last few weeks, there is however a reflex that specialists recommend adopting before any price change. Fast and free, it above all provides a point of comparison in case of doubt when receiving the next invoice.
When a supplier changes its prices on a specific date, it must distinguish electricity consumed before that date from that used after the entry into force of the new tariff. To carry out this calculation, it generally relies on available consumption data. With a Linky smart meter, this information is most often transmitted automatically. But in certain situations, notably in the absence of remote reading or billing based on an estimate, an approximation can be used. It is precisely in this context that a simple survey can prove useful.
The action consists of reading the consumption index of your meter just before August 1. On a Linky meter, simply press the scroll button until the index in kilowatt hours (kWh) is displayed, then write down this figure or take a photo of it. If your bill is then established on the basis of an estimate which does not correspond to your actual consumption, this statement will allow you to compare the data and, if necessary, request a correction from your supplier. It does not guarantee a reduction in your bill, but it constitutes a useful element of verification in the event of a disagreement.
This statement is also an opportunity to take a look at your contract. Not all consumers are affected in the same way by a price change. Some have a fixed price offer, which temporarily protects them against increases, while others have an indexed offer or the regulated price, the price of which changes according to the decisions in force. Checking the type of offer you benefit from therefore allows you to better understand the real impact that the August 1 change could have on your budget.
Finally, we must not lose sight of the fact that the index reading is above all a control tool. In the vast majority of cases, Linky meters automatically transmit consumption data and billing is correctly distributed between the old and new tariffs. But spending a minute to note your index before a price increase allows you to maintain a reliable reference. A simple, free and potentially valuable reflex if a question arises when receiving your next invoice.
