Looking for answers?
You've come to the right place! Power is knowledge and we're here to help you understand the power industry. From how NZ's User Plan works to how you could be saving money on your power bill, we have the answers.
How do I tell if I’m a Low User or Standard User in NZ?
If you’re living in a household with one or two people and the house is well insulated, energy efficient and/or has gas heating or hot water you're most likely a Low User. On the other hand, if you're living with more than two people who are home a lot and use a lot of power for heating and hot water, or in a large flat you’re most likely a Standard User.
Not sure? No worries. If we reckon you’re on the wrong User Type, we’ll change it for you.
After six months of being with Flick, we’ll have enough usage data to update your Load Group User Type automatically. We’ll let you know at the time via an email (and you can easily opt-out of this service too). So don’t worry if you’re not sure right now, we got you!
What’s the difference between Low User and Standard User in NZ?
The distribution companies set User Plans and rates at thresholds based on kilowatts (kWh) usage per year. A Low User household uses less than 8000 kWh a year and a Standard User household uses more than 8000 kWh a year. The threshold from Christchurch south is 9000 kWh. If you're a Low User you pay a lower daily charge but a higher charge per kWh used. A Standard User has a higher daily charge and low charge per kWh used.
What happens if I’m on the wrong User Plan?
If you're on the wrong User Plan you could be paying more for power than you need to be. The bigger the difference between how much you use and the threshold for Standard and Low User, the more you'll end up paying for no reason. But don't stress - every few months we run a check to make sure that our Flick whānau are on the right plan for their households. We got you!
I’m on the wrong User Plan, what should I do?
We can change the User Plan that you're on! Just get in touch with us on 0800 435 425 and we’ll sort it out, easy as. There is no charge to change your plan once a year but if you end up changing again in the same year there are additional charges from the metering company.
Is the current User Plan structure changing?
Correct – the government’s currently in the process of phasing out the current User Plan structure so that everyone is in the same pricing category. Daily fixed charges will increase by 30 cents every year until 1 April 2026. This will mean the daily fixed charge will sit at $1.80. As of 1 April 2027, the low fixed charge will be phased out completely.
Why is the current User Plan structure changing?
The Low User plan has helped smaller households and energy-efficient, well-insulated, cheaper-to-heat homes but has unintentionally pushed others into further hardship. There’s a correlation between low-income families and higher electricity use which means the current User Plan structure is burdening high-use households with increased power bills.
When is off-peak power?
Off-peak hours are:
11am until 5pm
9pm until 7am
All weekend from 12am Saturday until 6.59am Monday
How does off-peak power work?
On our Off Peak Plan, you have access to cheaper power prices during off-peak hours and all weekend long. Our Off Peak Plan encourages users to use power when there’s less demand, spreading the load more evenly across the day and placing less pressure on the national grid at high-demand times.
What’s the difference between Flick’s Flat and Off Peak plans?
Flat Plan
No fuss pricing plan with a set-unit rate that stays the same, day and night.
Off Peak Plan
Access to cheaper power prices during off-peak hours and all weekend long.
How do I save money on electricity in NZ?
To save money on your electricity, make sure you’re on the best power plan for your household. Lucky for you our Flickin’ Best Plan Promise ensures you’re on the best plan and we review this for you every 90 days in case anything changes. Easy as!
Another way to save money on electricity is by shifting your power use to off-peak hours. By moving a few power-hungry tasks into off-peak times of the day and night, you’ll be able to make the most of cheaper power and watch the savings stack up.
Finally, we’d recommend keeping track of your usage. Flick’s easy-to-understand dashboard and app illustrates when you use power and how much. This will help you identify appliances that might be using more power than they should.
How do I compare my current power plan to Flick’s plans?
To compare your power plan we can do a bill comparison for you! All you need to do is send through a recent full Bill PDF invoice from your current retailer and we'll tell you what you would have paid for that same power with Flick.
How much does it cost to charge an EV in NZ?
To charge an EV the average cost is $3 for every 100km. In comparison to the cost of petrol, this is some serious savings. Too save even more money you could switch to our Off Peak Plan and charge your EV during off-peak hours.
Is Flick a cheap power company?
You can check if we are a cheaper option for you! Get a bill comparison and see what you would have paid for the same power at Flick. With our Flickin’ Best Plan Promise, we make sure you are on the right plan so you’re not paying more than you need to be.
What is a gentailer?
A gentailer is a company that both generates and sells power. These gentailers sell the power they generate to independent retailers, like us (those who don’t generate). But they sell it at different – and more expensive – prices than they sell to their own retail arm. That means that they’re able to use this market power not just to make whopping profits, but also to make it pretty tough for anyone else – especially smaller independent retailers - to compete.