The Australian Energy Regulator (AER), provided a summary of findings from a compliance review of the Better Bills Guideline (Version 2), which was fully implemented on 30 September 2023 which was created to improve the clarity and transparency of energy bills for small customers.

Many retailers failed to fully comply with the Guideline, including issues with the implementation of the "Better Offer" message, and the inclusion of incorrect or missing information (Tier 1 and Tier 2).

Better Offer message: Retailers often failed to use the prescribed wording or did not display the message prominently, which is a requirement.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 information: Some bills were missing required information such as links to the Energy Made Easy website, government energy rebate messages, or whether the bill was based on metering data or an estimate. Additionally, some bills included extra information not required under Tier 1 or Tier 2.

Retailers are urged to review and update their bill templates to ensure compliance and self-report any contraventions. The AER plans to monitor ongoing compliance, focusing on the accuracy of the Better Offer message due to cost-of-living concerns.

The AER emphasises that retailers should establish processes for ongoing review and improvement of bill templates, with potential investigations or enforcement actions for continued non-compliance.