Utility Services

What We Do

Protea Metering is not just a ‘Meter Reading Company’ but rather offers a service of complete Utility Management to our clients in terms of electricity, water, sewerage and gas. Our core focus is on the billing and collection of these utilities.

Protea Metering will take over the bulk municipal account at the local municipality and deliver deposits or guarantees to the municipality on this account. The Municipality will therefore invoice Protea Metering directly for the total usage consumed.

All residences are metered individually every month and are invoiced separately on their actual consumption. Protea Metering will do the account management and credit control on all accounts (payment allocation, disconnection of non-payers, etc.).

A dedicated Protea Metering technical team, comprising of electricians and plumbers, are available to conduct electricity and water consumption audits, install and test meters and replace faulty meters.

Our interactive call centre staff is on hand to assist with any queries or questions regarding accounts, meter readings, consumptions, credit related matters, etc.

Monthly invoices are posted or emailed to clients and are also electronically available on our Protea Metering website at www.proteametering.co.za.

"Best of Breed"

Our Paradigm is “The best of the Breed” and we employ world class metering equipment including: Landis & Gyr, Elster, Kent and Actom meters. Protea Metering makes use of the latest technology available in all aspects of our business applications, systems as well as individualized structured packages.

We offer:

• Meter reading - Protea Metering makes use of the latest meter reading equipment in the form of hand held computers in order to ensure the highest possible degree of accuracy. Company policy dictates that every meter gets read each month.

• Automated Meter Reading (AMR) - This is the best method for reading meters and adds the function of “live” readings as well as consumption profiles. Water AMR is highly effective in detecting water leaks. This system is in operation in a number of buildings at present.

• Processing and payment of account - The monthly invoices contain a complete bank deposit slip. Payment can take place at any Nedbank branch countrywide. Alternate methods of payment such as debit orders and Internet banking as well as debit and credit cards are also available.

• Credit control - Our system is designed to automatically notify clients with overdue accounts via sms and email as well as a letter hand delivered to their point of consumption.

• Online Billing System - Via our web address, all consumers can log in and download past and current invoices, statements as well as review their consumption profile via a simple graphic display.

• Prepaid Metering - In the past a complex had to either be conventionally metered or prepaid. We can now have a combination of the two within one complex. We have been fully approved by Eskom and have been issued with our own unique Supply Group Code and are also registered with the STS Association.

• Prepaid Vending Systems - We have developed our own in-house vending system so that energy can be purchased via the internet. Our system generates the token with no human interaction. Prepaid can also be purchased at any Easypay and Unipin retail outlet which include Checkers, Pick ‘n Pay, Engen, Shell, FNB and Nedbank ATM’s.

• Property management - We have an Internet website which enables our landlords and Body Corporate Trustees to access a host of information. All income and expenditure statements, bank balances, levy accounts etc. are available to the owners and trustees.

We automatically conduct an energy audit on each billing cycle to make sure we stay within the constraints of the supply authorities.

Full Metering Service (Reselling)

Protea Metering sign on for the bulk electricity meter and take over responsibility of the account from the City Council. We will be responsible for the billing of the electricity to the end consumer and the collection of amounts billed. We will read meters, supply accounts, collect payments and implement any credit control where necessary.

Responsibilities:

• Protea Metering will be responsible for the meter reading, billing and collection of energy consumption.

• Protea Metering will be responsible for the payment of the electricity bills to the supply authority.

• The Body Corporate will be responsible for the payment of the electricity consumption on the service account (common areas).

• Tenants apply at Protea Metering for electricity supply.

• Protea Metering take the risk of any losses due to unmetered consumption, tampering or non-payment of accounts.

Billing and Collection Service

Responsibilities:

• Protea Metering will be responsible for the collection of metered energy consumption.

• Protea Metering will pay monies collected for the electricity to a designated account of your choice.

• The Body Corporate will be responsible for the payment of the electricity consumption on the service account (common areas).

• The Body Corporate takes the risk of any losses due to unmetered consumption, tampering or non-payment of accounts.

• Protea Metering will sell prepaid electricity to end consumers and will pay all amounts collected over to the Body Corporate.

• A collection commission will be charged as a percentage of the amount collected. This will be worked into the prepaid tariff and collected automatically with the prepaid electricity collections.

Read Only Service

Responsibilities:

• The Body Corporate will be responsible for the payment of the electricity bills to the supply authority.

• Protea Metering can supply and install conventional meters at a cost.

• A fixed charge will be levied for each meter that is read.