WISE Pre-Pay

Electricity Price Change Information 2025

From 1 April 2025, we will be making changes to our electricity pricing.
Price changes are not something we take lightly. We are aware of the impact they can have for some customers. We are committed to helping our customers as part of our Customer Care Policy.
If you are having trouble paying your bill, please reach out to us.

Here’s some information about the changes you may find helpful.

Can I join Wise Pre-Pay?

To join Wise, you need to:

Be a residential electricity customer only.
Have an eligible and actively communicating smart meter.
Have a mobile phone to receive our text alerts.
Be able to receive emails from us.
Agree to our General Terms and Conditions and be located in one of our supply areas.

When you sign up, we will check all of this and let you know if you’re eligible.

Medically dependent customers:

If you are medically dependent on electricity, for safety reasons we strongly recommend you do not use Wise Pre-Pay. If you still want to choose Wise Pre-Pay, please discuss this with your health practitioner for their advice.

Wise Pre-Pay is not available for:

Properties with an unacceptable level of vacant consumption (as determined by us).
Properties with inconsistent tenancy, for example holiday home or Airbnb rental properties (as determined by us).
Unmetered electricity connections.
Customers with export generation (e.g. solar panels).
Business electricity customers/ connections.

How much do I need to pay to join?

There is no joining fee or bonds, but your first top-up must be at least $50. This will be credited to your account for power consumed during the switching process.

How long will it take for my account to be set up?

We will get your account set up as soon as possible, but be aware this process can take up to 20 working days. However, don’t worry, your power won’t be disconnected, and we'll send you texts keeping you updated with our progress.

Are there any fees?

Yes, fees apply to some of our services. To view all our service fees, click here.

In summary:

There is no joining fee or bond required when you join us. However, your first top up must be at least $50.
There is no disconnection or reconnection fees if you run out of credit and get disconnected while you are with us.
If you have been disconnected by your previous retailer before you join us, a remote or manual reconnection fee may apply. This fee is $20 for remote reconnection or $150 for a manual reconnection. We will advise you of this fee when you join.
If you choose to disconnect from us, we will close your account after 7 days. To reconnect, you will need to pay:
1. $20 for a remote reconnection.
2. Your Daily Charges for the period you have been disconnected.
3. Any other charges owing on your account (if any).
Fees apply to all payments made to top up your account by credit/ debit card and Recharge cards.
A $30 fee applies to close your account.

What is the minimum top up amount?

The minimum top-up amounts are:

$50.00 when you first top up your account.
$10.00 for each top up thereafter.

There is no limit to how often you can top-up.

How do I top up my account?

You can top up via:

The Wise Mobile App (available from the App Store or Google Play)
Online by signing into your Wise Dashboard.
The Recharge Cards we supply at one of our participating merchants (payment fees apply).

And pay by using:

Credit card or debit card (payment fees apply)
Internet or telephone banking
Automatic Credit Card payment.

Bank Deposit or Online Transfer through Banking App may take up to one business day to process and be applied to your balance.

How can I keep track of my account balance and power usage?

You can check your balance anytime via:

The Wise Mobile App (available from the App Store or Google Play)
Online by signing into your Wise Dashboard.

Checking your power usage

Sign into the Wise App or Dashboard and you can view your balance and usage history at any time. The “Usage” graph provides a monthly view of your power usage. If you hover over the relevant monthly column, you can also see your average daily spend.
To drill down to daily and hourly information (just click on the month bar, then select a day to view and then click into the day bar to view your hourly data).

How often and how much should I top up?

As every household’s electricity usage varies, it’s hard to recommend how often you should top up. We recommend you monitor your balance alerts and set aside some amount of money either weekly or fortnightly to keep the balance above $10. So, for example if you use $2/ day, you should top-up by around $30 fortnightly. If you use $5/day a top-up of around $35 will be needed each week.

What do the balance alerts say?

The balance alerts provide you the following notices:

Level 5- Credit left for more than 28 days; No worries
Level 4- Credit left for 14 days; Sufficient credit
Level 3- Credit left for 7 days; Run out soon
Level 2- Not enough credit left; time to top-up
Level 1- Your account is disconnected; Top-up and contact us

At level 2 and 1 you will receive balance alerts via text and email too.

How is estimation done for the balance and consumption?

It is based on your last 7 days consumption pattern, but it can vary depending on your usage.

If I get disconnected, how do I get reconnected?

If you run out of electricity, it’s easy to get reconnected. Simply ensure your account has sufficient credit by topping it up. Our system will automatically initiate the reconnection process and your power will normally be restored within 30 minutes.

If you’re unable to top up and reconnect your power, don’t worry. You can contact our Customer Service team and request we “hold off” disconnecting you until 11.30 am the next day.

Important:

Requests for a “disconnection hold” need to be made between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Thursday.
To be approved, your outstanding balance must be $15 or less.
After power restoration, disconnection will be scheduled for the following business day at 11:30 am. It’s essential to top up and ensure your account is in credit before this time to maintain connectivity.
We do not offer “disconnection hold” requests on Fridays, as we do not disconnect power on weekends or public holidays.

If you’ve been disconnected for over 7 days, we will automatically close your account.

To reconnect you will need to pay:

$20 for a remote reconnection.
Your Daily Charges for the period you have been disconnected.
Any other charges owing on your account (if any).

Then, you will need to call us on 0800 009 473 during our Call Centre hours of 8am–5pm Monday to Friday. For your safety, someone over the age of 18 years must be at home to get reconnected.

In most cases, reconnection will happen the same day you request it, as long as it’s during our call centre hours. Reconnections outside of these hours may take longer and you will be charged an after-hours reconnection fee.

Are there any fees if I get disconnected?

There is no disconnection or reconnection fees that apply if you run out of credit and get disconnected while you are with us.

However, if you choose to disconnect from us for any reason, we will close your account after 7 days. To reconnect, you will need to pay:

$20 for a remote reconnection.
Your Daily Charges for the period you have been disconnected.
Any other charges owing on your account (if any).

Does Wise Pre-Pay bill on a month-to-month basis?

No. Wise Pre-Pay is Pay-As-You-Go. You use the electricity that you have already purchased. There are no bills, just balance updates to keep you informed and an alert to let you know it is time to top-up.

Will I get a monthly statement?

No but you can download your monthly, weekly or daily consumption details by clicking the Export button on ‘My Dashboard’.

Wise Pre-Pay only mails out consumption statements upon request. These statements itemize monthly usage, payments received, and fees incurred. Statements are free if sent via email. To receive a statement through the mail, a $5 fee applies. You may request your Statement of Usage and Payments by calling Customer Service on 0800 009 473.

What if my email address or SMS phone number changes?

You can update your account information by emailing us at enquiries@wiseprepay.co.nz or by calling our Customer Service team on 0800 009 473.

I am moving and want to continue to use WISE at my new address, how do I transfer my service to my new address?

Great, we’d love you to take us with you when you move!

Email enquiries@wiseprepay.co.nz or call our Customer Service team on 0800 009 473 between 8:00am-5:00pm so we can assist you in transferring the services to your new address.

What if I lost my Recharge card(s)?

We provide all customers with two Recharge cards. If you misplace your card(s), send us an email and we will send you new cards. A $10 fee will apply.

Will I still receive my electricity network dividend?

Yes, unless you live in Tauranga. The Tauranga Electricity Community Trust (TECT) network rebate (also known as the ‘TECT cheque’) is payable to Mercury customers only.

Can I get a refund?

Yes, we can process a refund for you, provided you have at least two weeks worth of power credit on your account.

A $10 admin fee will be applied.

I am Medically Dependant on Power, what do I need know?

If you or anyone in your house becomes medically dependent on electricity and the disconnection of electricity may present a clear threat to your or their health or well-being, you need to inform us urgently.

We strongly recommend you do not use Wise Pre-Pay’s services.

If you still wish to continue with Wise Prepay Energy. Here's what you need to know:

It is responsibility to disclose private or personal information that may be relevant to any disconnection decision. This includes information on a person having been assessed by a DHB, private Hospital or a GP to be a potential MDC, or information on any change to the consumer’s MDC status over time. To register your Medically Dependency
Click here to download the Medical Dependency Form
Please confirm all sections are completed in the form. The first section is to be completed by the Account Holder/ Customer.
The next section is to be completed by a Medical Practitioner (e.g. your GP). The form is invalid without the seal of the medical practitioner.
Once you have done the above, please email or post the form back to us at PO Box 305292, Triton Plaza, North Shore City 0632.

For any questions, please call us on 0800 009 473.

Payment options

Apart from the usual methods of top up, Wise Prepay Energy is also registered with WINZ, and are happy to assist you with your queries regarding arrangements and payments.

What to do in case of outage?

Wise Prepay Energy cannot guarantee a continuous power supply. Power outages are out of the control of your power retailer. Outages can be caused by bad weather or if emergency repair is required for your power lines.

You need to be prepared for such cases. It is crucial that you have a back-up plan to follow, if there are any sudden outages or any other unexpected circumstances.

What to do:

Ensure you always have a standby battery fully charged.
Go to a friend's or family member's house where they still have electricity.
In serious circumstances, call an ambulance to be taken to hospital.

Is your question not addressed here?

Email us or call our Customer Services team on 0800 009 473. We’re happy to help.

Complaint process

Here at Wise Pre-pay, we strive to provide you with the best possible service experience. Our Customer Care Policy sets out our service promises to our customers. This Policy acts as a guide to how we operate, care for, and treat customers.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the products and services, we provide you we would like to hear from you so that we can put things right.

Our free complaint handling process is set out below.

You can raise a complaint by contacting our Customer Care Team on 0800 009 473, emailing us, or by writing to:

WISE Prepay Energy

PO Box 305 292,
Triton Plaza
Albany, New Zealand

Firstly, we will acknowledge your concerns and we will aim to resolve it with you within 20 working days. However, sometimes complaints may involve a longer investigation time – for instance, if we need to escalate your complaint internally to our legal team or senior management for advice, or if we need to gain information from third parties.

If there is a delay, you’ll be kept in the loop all the way through.

What if you're not happy?

If you’re not happy with your resolution, and we have had a reasonable opportunity to resolve it with you, then you are welcome to contact Utility Disputes.

Utilities Disputes Ltd

UD is an independent scheme that is dedicated to resolving electricity and gas complaints in a fair and equitable manner, at no cost to you.

You can refer your complaint to the UD if:

we have not resolved your complaint within 20 working days, and we have not written to you with good reasons why it will take more time; or
we have taken longer than 40 working days to resolve your complaint.

The UD may agree to consider your complaint before 20 working days have passed if:

we have made it clear that we are not going to do anything about your complaint;
waiting any longer would cause you (as complainant) unreasonable harm; or
it would be otherwise unjust to wait any longer.

Utilities Disputes can be contacted on 0800 22 33 40, by email at info@utilitiesdisputes.co.nz, or in writing to PO Box 5875, Lambton Quay, Wellington 6145. For more information visit the UD website.