Estimated bills and back-billing in Slovakia: how far back can my supplier charge me?
If your meter was not read for a long time, a large catch-up bill can follow. Many countries limit how far back a supplier may charge and set rules for meter readings.
📜 The rules in Slovakia
Back-billing and estimated bills
Your distributor must read your meter at least once a year. If it cannot read it and you do not report the reading, it may estimate consumption from your previous use; if the meter was faulty, it may estimate back to the last physical reading. Gas must be billed at least yearly.
- A complaint must be settled within 30 days, in complex cases within three months (§ 17a of the Energy Act). A complaint does not postpone the due date of the bill. (urso.gov.sk)
- If you doubt the meter, you can ask the distributor to test it; you pay for the test only if no fault is found. (urso.gov.sk)
🪜 Step by step
- Read your meter nowTake a dated photo and send the reading to your supplier. It stops estimates from growing.
- Check the period on the billWhich months are charged, and was the reading real or estimated?
- Compare with the rulesSee below how far back a supplier may bill in Slovakia and how often your meter must be read.
- Dispute in writingIf the bill goes back further than allowed, write to the supplier, then to the dispute body below.
📇 Who to contact
❓ Questions
Do I have to pay a huge catch-up bill at once?
Ask for a payment plan. Many suppliers must offer one; the rules for Slovakia are on this page.
Why did I get an estimated bill?
No reading was available. Send a real reading and ask for a corrected bill.
What if the meter was faulty?
Ask the grid operator to test it. Keep the test report for your complaint.
📎 Sources
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