What is an estimated gas bill?

Estimated gas bills are issued when it's not possible to know your actual usage during the billing period. Estimated gas usage is calculated based on your consumption history. A bill is then issued with this estimate to prevent your gas service payments from building up.

Unlike electricity, which has been measured by smart meters in Spanish homes since 2018, gas consumption information cannot be read from meters remotely. Personnel from the distribution company need to read the gas meter and send this information to the supplier. In this situation, it is sometimes possible that the actual reading doesn't arrive at the right time for various reasons. This is when a usage estimate is made and an estimated gas bill is issued.

Why do you receive an estimated bill?

An estimated gas bill arrives at your home when your supplier cannot access an actual reading from your gas meter during the billing period. This often happens because you have an analogue meter that doesn't allow for remote readings.

Other reasons could be that the technician cannot get to the meter to take an actual reading (because no one is at home or if it is in an area that is difficult to access), or that the user doesn't provide the reading manually (by phone, via the app, website or e-mail), as some companies allow customers to submit their own reading. If this isn't done in time, the company generates an estimate based on your consumption history.

It's also possible for an automatic reading to fail. With smart meters, communication or technical errors can interrupt the remote reading, so the supplier resolves the issue by issuing an estimated bill.

How an estimated bill is calculated

To calculate the usage on an estimated gas bill, we take the actual usage from the same period last year, divide it by the number of days in that period, and then multiply it by the number of days in the current billing period.

The estimated bill is issued based on the calculations from this algorithm—an equation that calculates your estimated usage. It is a system that calculates estimated usage for all customers from whom no actual meter readings are available. The household's consumption profile (number of people, type of heating, etc.) is also taken into account.

The difference between an estimated bill and an actual bill

The difference between an estimated gas bill and an actual one is how the usage you are charged for is determined. The estimate is based on an assumption of the gas you have used, not on the original meter reading. In contrast, an actual bill contains data from an exact meter reading taken during the billing period.

Your actual gas usage is the difference between the current gas meter reading and the previous one. By subtracting one from the other, we know precisely how much gas you have used and can issue a bill based on that usage.

On the other hand, if the latest meter reading (for the current month) is missing, this calculation of actual usage cannot be made. In this case, an estimate of your gas usage must be made in order to issue your bill.

What to do if your estimated bill doesn't match your usage

If your estimated gas bill doesn't match what you have actually used, there are several ways to correct it and prevent it from happening again:

• Check your meter: It's important to note down the current reading on your gas meter and compare it with the one that appears on the estimated bill you've received. This will allow you to see if the difference is significant. You should bear in mind that estimates are almost never precise.
• Send the actual reading to the company: You need to log in to the 'customer area' of the company you have your gas contract with, either on the website or in their app, and look for the option to 'submit meter reading'. Enter the current reading and, if the platform allows, include a photo of the meter data.
• Contact customer support: You can explain to the supplier that the data on the estimated bill you received doesn't match your actual usage. Request a 'revised bill' based on the reading you have sent to the company. It's important to keep the incident number or proof of the request you are making.
• Request billing based on actual readings: Ask the company if it's possible to schedule more frequent reading visits to avoid relying on estimated billing, or ask to have a smart meter installed.
• Check your next bill: If the correction isn't made on the current bill, the next one should be adjusted to account for the excess or shortfall in the usage data that was incorrectly charged.

How to avoid receiving estimated bills

As it's the distribution companies that take the meter readings, it's difficult to know for certain if they have read your meter or not. If you don't want to receive an estimated bill, you can opt for these procedures:

Send your meter reading directly to your supplier

To send your actual usage data to the company and avoid estimated gas bills, you should follow these steps:

1. Find your contract number: You will find it in the header of the gas bills you have already received. You can also find it in your 'Customer Area'.

2. Take a meter reading: Your meter must be accessible to you. In many communities, there is a specific cupboard or room where all the meters are located.

3. Submit the meter reading: You must send the data before the billing period closes. It is advisable to do this 10 working days in advance.

The most practical way to send us the reading is from your Endesa Customer Area in the 'Contracts' section. If you're not registered, you can find our guide on how to submit your gas meter reading.

Bear in mind that if a technician has not visited to read the meter, we will use the data you have provided to calculate your actual gas usage. If we do not have either the technician's data or your reading, we will then issue an estimated bill. Also, remember that the data provided by technicians and personal readings are cross-checked to identify any reading errors.

Have an Endesa gas tariff

If you want to take control of your billing and avoid situations like the ones we've mentioned, a definitive solution is to sign up for an Endesa gas tariff.

The Endesa One Gas tariff will give you the peace of mind of having the best price for your gas usage. What's more, when you sign up, you can manage your account online quickly and easily, and receive your bills by email as soon as they are issued.

If you want to know more about our offers and promotions on gas tariffs, check our catalogue, compare the different options, and choose the product that best suits your needs.

What happens if I pay an estimated bill and the actual amount is lower?

The first thing to make clear is that no customer will pay more for their gas than the amount that corresponds to their actual usage. Estimated bills are simply a tool to prevent bills from accumulating for customers.

If you are overcharged on an estimated gas bill compared to your actual usage, this amount will be credited to your next bill. For example, if you receive a gas bill every two months and the distribution company has not sent a meter reading, your supplier can only issue an estimated bill.

However, if estimated bills were not used, you would receive one gas bill after 4 months instead of every 2 months. A payment for two bills would be accumulated into one, which could mean an unexpected expense you hadn't planned for. Estimated bills help to avoid the accumulation of payments and unforeseen expenses in our day-to-day lives.

And what if the actual bill is higher?

If the amount on the actual gas bill you've received is higher than the estimated bill, you can verify, dispute, and correct the data and information through several actions or steps:

• Verify the reading type: The estimated reading, which is based on your historical usage, could contain incorrect data if a technician has not been able to check the meter directly. If the high-amount bill is a 'catch-up' bill issued after several estimated readings, then it is a valid charge. In this scenario, you could request to pay in instalments if you feel the amount you have to pay is too high.
• Check your meter: Ideally, you should personally check the recent reading on your meter. If it is lower than the one shown on the bill, you can complain to the company about the incorrect charge.

Can I dispute an estimated bill?

As we mentioned earlier, yes, you can dispute both an actual and an estimated gas bill if you feel it doesn't reflect data that matches your usual consumption. We'll tell you how:

You can submit the complaint by telephone, email or through a web form, if the company offers that option on its website or app. You will most likely need to attach an image that shows the current reading on your meter. After completing the form and sending the complaint to the supplier, it's important to save the case number or the acknowledgement of receipt provided by the system.

If you don't get a satisfactory response or a resolution to the problem, you have the option of contacting the Consumer Arbitration System (which is free and extrajudicial), the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), or the Consumer Board of your autonomous community. You have up to one year from the estimated bill's issue date to make this type of complaint.