How to Check Your Electricity Bill and Avoid Irregularities

In the daily rush, hardly anyone has time to analyse every line on a bill in detail. That's exactly where errors creep in and stay uncorrected later, while your budget takes the hit. That's why it's important to check your electricity bill yourself, read your own meter, and report any irregularity.

Read on to find out how to check your electricity bill and how to control your costs on your own. You'll learn how electricity is billed, how to check your bill online, how to submit a meter reading yourself, and what to do if you receive an incorrect or excessively high bill.

How is the electricity bill calculated?

The electricity bill would be perfectly straightforward and clear to citizens if it contained only the consumed kilowatts. In reality, however, it is built from several parameters: consumed energy, tariffs, fees, the RTS public-broadcasting fee, and VAT. The parts of the electricity bill are:

• Kilowatt-hours (kWh), actual or estimated electricity consumption.

• Consumption zones: blue, red, and green, depending on the amount and time of consumption.

• Billing capacity and fixed fees, the part of the bill paid regardless of consumption.

• Renewable energy fee.

• RTS subscription, the monthly fee for the public broadcaster; currently 349 RSD, shown as a separate item on the bill.

• VAT (Value Added Tax), 20% added to the total price.

What exactly is the customer charged for through the electricity bill?

To make it clear what EPS has charged you for, we'll go through every item on the back of your electricity bill.

• Billing capacity (kW): This is the fixed part paid every month and doesn't depend on your consumption. It represents the capacity allocated to you as a consumer. EPS reserves the option for you to use a certain capacity and charges that as a kind of subscription.

• Cost of guaranteed supply: This is also a fixed cost, specifically, the fee EPS charges us as customers of the public supplier. In return, it guarantees regular and stable supply as defined by law. It is charged in equal amounts every month, even in months with no consumption.

• ENERGY (kW): Here the total electricity consumption is defined, broken down by zones (green, blue, red) and tariffs (higher and lower).

• Charges for the billing period (1+2+3): This amount is the sum of the first three items: Billing capacity + Cost of guaranteed supply + Consumed electricity.

• 5% discount for paying the previous bill on time: A percentage reduction in the bill for customers who settled their obligation within the payment deadline. The discount is granted in the following month. If you paid the previous bill on time, you get a 5% discount the next month. This item is deducted from the total amount.

• Discount for electronic bill delivery: An additional discount for customers who have activated the e-bill, reduces the amount due by 50 RSD.

• Discount for paying via the "EPS Uvid u račun" app: If you pay the bill through the official EPS app, you get another small discount.

• Fee for incentivising privileged electricity producers: This item goes into the fund supporting electricity production from renewables. It is charged to all customers, proportional to consumption.

• Energy-efficiency improvement fee: A symbolic amount that goes into the fund for improving energy efficiency in Serbia.

• Excise tax base (4+5+6+7+8+9): The sum of the previous items that goes into the basis for calculating the excise tax.

• Excise tax amount (rate 7.5%): A state tax charged on the base from item 10, at 7.5%.

• VAT base (4+5+6+7+8+9+11): The sum of all basic costs and excise tax gives the VAT base.

• VAT amount (20%): The value added tax is 20% on the base from the previous item.

• Reduction for energy-vulnerable customers: If you have the status of an energy-vulnerable customer, the reduction will be shown here.

• CHARGES FOR THE BILLING PERIOD (12+13+14): Total charges for electricity, taxes, and fees.

• Public-broadcasting fee: A fixed item that all citizens pay to fund the public broadcaster RTS.

• TOTAL CHARGES FOR THE BILLING PERIOD (15+16): The final figure without previous debts, prepayments, or interest.

• Charges from the previous billing period: If you have an unpaid debt from previous months, it will be shown here.

• Payments and financial changes during the billing period: Total of how much was paid or corrected during the month.

• Interest: Calculation of interest if the bill was paid past the deadline.

• PREPAYMENT FROM THE PREVIOUS PERIOD (17+18+19): If you previously paid more than you consumed, that amount is deducted here from the new bill.

• AMOUNT TO PAY FOR ELECTRICITY, FEES, AND TAXES (A+B): This is the final amount you have to pay. It includes all costs, discounts, taxes, debts, and prepayments.

Where and how to check your electricity bill?

You don't need to wait at counters to check your electricity bill. EPS has made everything available online for customers.

• The EPS "Uvid u račun" portal: The bill for every month is available on the EPS website. Here you can see the amount due, consumption by zones, and download a PDF version of the bill. You need to enter the customer code, which is located in the upper right corner of the bill. Another option is to scan the QR code with your mobile phone. That way you go straight to the viewing page.

• The EPS Uvid u račun mobile app: This is a free app, available on Google Play and the App Store. It allows you to view all items, payments, and charges right from your phone. It is very reliable and practical, you can see absolutely every line of the bill, compare consumption, and plan electricity savings according to consumption by zones.

• Via email or at EPS branches: If you still prefer the old-fashioned way, you can contact your local EPS and ask for an explanation of the bill.

Keep in mind that you'll get the information fastest through the portal or the app. You'll have all the data on your phone, and you can intervene at the counter afterwards.

What to do if the electricity bill is too high or wrong?

Lately, citizens have been complaining about very high electricity bills, unrealistic consumption, and incorrectly read meters. If you've found yourself in this situation or have noticed that your electricity bill doesn't match the actual meter reading, you have the right to react.

If you suspect an error, follow these steps:

• Check the reading on your meter: Compare the reading with what's on the bill. If the numbers don't match, it's possible that an estimate of consumption was used rather than an actual reading. EPS bases the estimate on the same month in the previous year.

• Take a photo of the meter: Take a clear photo of the meter with the date and numbers visible. This can serve as proof when filing a complaint.

• Contact the EPS customer centre: You can call 011/395 7777 or go to the nearest branch in person. You can also submit a complaint through the EPS website if you have an active account.

• Submit a formal complaint: If you have a reasonable suspicion that the bill is wrong, you have the right to submit an official complaint. EPS is obliged to consider it and respond within the statutory deadline.

Don't wait, react right away. If you don't report the error, the system will treat the bill as valid, so it's important to check immediately and react if something isn't clear.

How to read the meter yourself and check the reading?

Reading the meter yourself is the safest way to make sure you'll be billed for the actual kilowatts.

The procedure is simple and accessible to anyone:

• Find the meter, The meter is usually in the building hallway, in a cabinet in front of the apartment, or in a common area. In a village or in houses, it is on the wall or on a post in front of the yard.

• Pay attention to the type of meter:

• If you have a digital meter, the numbers (kWh) shown will change automatically. You just need to write down or photograph what is shown at that moment. Note the higher tariff without decimals, and then the lower tariff.

• If you have an analog meter with a rotating dial, read all the numbers from left to right, excluding decimals and red fields.

• Record the reading, Write down the meter reading, or even better, take a photo so you have evidence in case it doesn't match the bill.

• Compare with the bill, On the bill, look at the "Current meter reading" item. If the number you read differs significantly, it can be a sign that your bill has been calculated incorrectly.

• Submit the reading to EPS, If you want to submit the meter reading yourself (e.g. if the reader didn't come), you can do it through:

• the EPS website

• the "EPS Uvid u račun" mobile app

• a call to the customer centre

• in person, at the branch in your city

Don't wait until you have to complain about a suspicious bill. From time to time, check the reading to make sure you're paying for what you actually consumed, because errors are common and possible in such a large system as the electricity utility.

The electricity bill doesn't have to be a mystery. Now you know how every item is calculated and what services you are paying for. When you occasionally read the meter yourself, you'll easily recognise an error and prevent unpleasant surprises.

Track the meter, use e-bills, check through the portal, the electricity bill should be accurate, not stressful.

If your goal is savings, consider installing solar panels and you'll see a significant reduction in your electricity bills.