Electric Kiwi Reviews 

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

5 dagen geleden

Kia ora Scott,

Thanks for sharing your experience. We’re glad you made the most of the Hour of Power, but understand our time-of-use pricing doesn’t suit everyone, and price changes across the market are never easy for households.

Regarding your broadband switch, it looks like your new provider sent us a takeover request (this is the usual process). When this happens, we simply pass the connection on to them and your broadband account with us closes. We don’t get to select the switch time ourselves. The timing is generally set by your local fibre provider, and unfortunately, the change often takes place at midnight.

If your internet stopped working straight away, it’s usually just a matter of reconfiguring the modem with your new provider's settings. Takeovers are meant to be the smoothest way to prevent interruptions, but sometimes a few extra setup steps are needed. For the quickest fix, it’s best to check in with your new broadband provider about any final setup or login details.

Thanks again for the feedback, we promise there is no ill intent on our end at all! NZ's telco industry isn't the smoothest overall and depends on set up too. Thank you for your time with us and we wish you all the best with your new provider, and if there’s anything left to check on our end, just let us know!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

6 dagen geleden

Kia ora Stuart,

We’re genuinely gutted to hear how frustrating this has been for you. Your experience isn’t what we want for anyone, and we absolutely take your feedback to heart. We can see your case has been complex, and the team are still actively working with the previous and correct retailers involved, because the wrong ICPs have been used for some time. This means we need to get all the accounts adjusted to reflect the correct usage and dates.

Please don’t worry too much about the incorrect charges at this stage. Once we have confirmation of your correct ICP, along with accurate usage and dates from your actual meter, our team will fully recalculate your billing to match what’s right. Any payments you’ve already made will be held as credit and applied correctly to your account once the adjustments are made. We’re waiting on more updates from the retailers and will get in touch as soon as we have news to share on your case.

Thank you for your patience; it’s truly appreciated, and we’re sorry it’s taken so long. If you need anything or have any other questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

28 sep 2026

Kia ora Amba,

Thanks for sharing your feedback. Having a frustrating experience is never what we want for our customers. We’re a fully online company, which means our support is available through LiveChat, email, and social media instead of phone calls. This helps us keep costs lower for everyone rather than a traditional call centre, but we understand it’s not the right fit for everyone.

Electric Kiwi is a time-of-use provider, so our pricing works a bit differently from flat-rate companies. The cost of your power depends not just on how much you use, but when you use it. Our plans are designed for customers who can move some of their electricity use to off-peak times or make the most of our Hour of Power. For one hour every day, you get entirely free power (you just pick the hour in your account that best suits you). The more you can shift things like washing, charging or heating to off-peak or your Hour of Power, the more you can save with our model.

We know our way of doing things isn’t for everyone, and it’s important to choose the provider and plan that match your needs and lifestyle. If you’d ever like a chat about your account, plan options, or tips to make the most of load shifting, you’re welcome to reach out on LiveChat.

Thanks again for your feedback, it helps us improve.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

28 sep 2026

Kia ora Rhonda, thank you for sharing your experience. We know costs matter and that transitioning away from a provider should feel straightforward. As a time-of-use company, our daily rates and pricing work differently from flat-rate providers, and the fit really depends on how and when power is used in your home. We always encourage people to compare different plan styles to find the best match for their usage habits.

After account closure, the app normally stays open for a few days so you can keep track of your final billing and any remaining balances. We’re always happy to help clarify any charges or walk through your final bill with you, just reach out via LiveChat or email if you need a hand.

Thanks again for your feedback. We wish you all the best with your next provider and appreciate you giving Electric Kiwi a try.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

17 sep 2026

Kia ora Jan, we’re really sorry to hear about your experience, it’s absolutely not how we want anyone to feel. Clear communication and fair billing are important to us, and we take feedback like yours seriously.

If you haven’t received your bills, sometimes our emails can end up in the spam or junk folder, depending on your email settings. For anything urgent or if you’re waiting on a reply, the quickest way to reach our team is through LiveChat (weekdays 8am-8pm, weekends 10am-2pm). We’re always ready to help sort out any issues, check on charges, and make sure your account is up to date.

Thank you for sharing your experience; it really helps us improve, and if there’s anything still unresolved or you need support, please jump on LiveChat and the team can take a look!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

8 sep 2026

Hey April, thanks so much for your honest feedback and for doing your best to make the most of the MoveMaster plan! We know it can take a lot of effort (and the cooperation of the whole family!) to shift usage into off-peak and Hour of Power times.

With MoveMaster, your charges are based on when you use electricity, so off-peak hours and your free hour will cost much less, while peak hours are higher. If you’re finding your bills are still higher than expected despite shifting usage, it might be worth checking if times or appliances are using more than anticipated, or if the plan style is the best fit for your home’s routine. Time of use doesn't always work for everyone and depends on how much power you can load-shift into off-peak times. If you are mostly using power in peak, then a flatrate plan might suit better.

We’d be more than happy to take a deeper look at your account with you and help work out exactly how your charges are being calculated. If you’d like a breakdown or some personalised tips, just reach out to our team on LiveChat and we’ll go through it together.

Thanks again for your thoughtful review and for giving us the chance to help, every bit of feedback helps us improve!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

8 sep 2026

Hello Nadine, thank you so much for letting us know, and we're absolutely gutted to hear that the experience wasn't as smooth or great as it usually is and not the experience we aim for.

Generally, the switchover to a new provider for broadband is pretty seamless and straightforward; however, it can be disrupted when things like incorrect details are provided for the takeover. The takeover of supply was delayed and stuck after the initial information provided did not match the previous supplier, and our request to take over was declined. When we attempted to update this once we had the corrected information, there was already a requested cancellation from the previous provider, which caused it to error out each time and required us to wait for the first order to complete before we could request again.

It's vital to have these details correct, as we need to request to take over supply from an existing one to reference to which is why Northpower didn't see our request.

In regard to the broadband realm, there is no universal platform for all providers/parties to view and communicate from, so there were definitely delays that we are incredibly sorry for, as we were waiting on replies on our end too.

As much as we want each and every connection to be seamless and quick, we are also restricted by how the broadband sector in NZ works and are sad to see your connection was impacted so harshly. For that, we would like to apologise for the stress and delays that occurred. We are glad to see that you have been connected since and hope that you and your family take care and stay well!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

4 sep 2026

Kia ora Harrison,

Thank you for sharing your experience. You’ve clearly had a frustrating time, and we understand how stressful billing and payments can be, especially if things haven’t gone smoothly. We’re here to help and want every customer to feel respected and understood.

If you’ve had difficulty logging in or paying online, our team can walk you through the process step by step. We aim to make things as easy as possible and are always looking to improve. Missed payments are flagged in line with standard NZ credit practices, but we’re happy to talk through your account and help avoid any negative impact wherever possible.

If there’s anything we can review or resolve for you, please jump on LiveChat. We’d really like to help sort things out and give you a better experience. Thank you again for your feedback.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

1 sep 2026

Kia ora Mike,

Thanks for sharing your feedback, we understand how disappointing it is when prices change, especially right after you’ve joined. Recent price increases have mainly been driven by changes in network and wholesale costs across the country, which have affected all retailers annually in April, but we were able to push back until the end of winter. We know these jumps are tough, and we only pass on increases when there’s no other option.

We operate fully online, so support is offered through LiveChat, email, and social channels, which helps keep costs lower for customers, but we get that it’s not everyone’s preference.

We appreciate you giving us a try and sharing your experience. If you ever want to chat more or check if there’s a plan that better fits your usage, our team is always here to help on LiveChat.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

1 sep 2026

Kia ora Belinda,

Thanks for sharing your experience and we appreciate the chance to clarify how our plans work. It sounds like you’ve been on our Everyday plan, which has a flat rate for simplicity, but as a time-of-use company, it's not our most recommended plan overall if you're not strictly using power at peak times.

Our MoveMaster and SundaySaver plans are built to help customers save by shifting usage, whether it’s making the most of the free Hour of Power or taking advantage of lower rates at less busy times. If most of your power use is during the peak or you’re after the lowest flat rate, sometimes another provider or a different plan might be a better fit.

If you’re ever curious to review your options, our team is always happy to jump on LiveChat and recommend the plan that best matches your home’s habits, making sure you’re getting the best deal possible for your situation. Thanks for giving us a try and for your honest feedback. All the best with your new provider!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

27 aug 2026

Kia ora Anayr, thanks for sharing your feedback. We know how important fast responses are when you need support, and we really want to make things smoother for you.

Our human team is on LiveChat every weekday from 8am to 8pm, and weekends from 10am to 2pm. Just ask for a human, and we’ll connect you as soon as we can. Outside those hours, our AI Assist chat bot is online 24/7 to help with general questions until the team’s back online the next day :)

If you need something sorted quickly, LiveChat during our staffed hours is always your best bet. We’re always working to improve, so thanks for your honest review.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

31 jul 2026

Kia ora Elham, we know how frustrating this process has been and can imagine how stressful it is waiting on a refund. The SundaySaver plan relies on your account always having a credit balance to work each day, and direct debit is our standard payment method, as mentioned in our terms and conditions. When cancelling, it’s important to request closure for all services; otherwise an account can keep providing supply for any remaining services.

Refund timing can be frustrating; once processed, standard banking policies mean it can be 1–5 business days before funds show up in your account. It’s also worth checking the inclusive dates on your final invoice, as the billing period might cover usage that happened just before you closed your account.

We're a time-of-use provider, so costs are based not just on how much, but when you use power. Best savings are for those who can shift usage to off-peak periods. If anything still feels unclear, please reach out on LiveChat and our team can go through everything step by step. We’re more than happy to review your account and get you answers! Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve, and we hope to resolve this for you soon.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

31 jul 2026

Kia ora John! Wow, your review just made our day! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear how well the Hour of Power and your chosen plan are working for you. It’s awesome knowing you’re saving on your bills, helping Kiwis make power more affordable is right at the heart of what we do.

Thanks a million for your kind words and for being part of the Electric Kiwi whānau. If you ever need tips, support, or have questions, we’re always here for you!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

24 jul 2026

Kia ora Lys, we’re truly gutted to hear about this situation. Having someone open an account in your name is incredibly stressful, and we absolutely take it seriously. Our sign-up process requires ID to be uploaded and verified along with a credit check before an account can be created, so if a fraudulent account was set up, it may mean someone has had access to some of your personal information or identification. For your safety, it might be a good idea to check where your details or ID may have been accessed.

The best next steps are to get in touch with us directly and to file a non-emergency police report. Once you share the report with us, we’ll work with the police to investigate how the account was created and make sure your details are protected moving forward. We completely understand how stressful this is and are here to support you every step of the way. Please reach out when you’re ready so we can help get this resolved together.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

24 jul 2026

Kia ora Matthew, we’re truly gutted to hear about your experience, there’s nothing more stressful than seeing unexpected charges or having to wait so long for a refund. That’s not what we ever aim for, and we understand this must have been really upsetting.

We always want to make things right for our customers, and situations like this help us see where we need to improve. If there’s anything we can still check for you or help explain, please reach out, our team is always here and happy to help however we can. Thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate you giving us the chance to learn from this and do better.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

20 jul 2026

Kia ora Barron! Thanks for letting us know, we understand that being asked for extra ID and having to go through a credit check can feel intrusive and frustrating.

We want to assure you there are solid reasons behind these checks. At the end of a sign-up, our partner Centrix will look up your details. If they are unable to locate these due to things like shortened or non-legal names it can impact the automatic check and become a manual credit check where the team need to verify ID. These checks helps us make sure every application is genuine and that no one else is trying to use your identity, it’s an important way of protecting against fraud and identity theft, which sadly happens far too often in the energy sector.

Another important step is that they help both you and us to be sure that the service we provide is a good fit, and help to prevent anyone from getting into financial difficulty down the track. Like all power providers in NZ, we rely on official credit reporting agencies to inform this process. We know it’s not always what people expect, but these steps are there to keep everyone safe and to meet legal requirements for all customers.

If you’d like any more information about the process, or help understanding the results, please reach out to us directly!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

20 jul 2026

Kia ora Jimmy, we’re truly gutted to hear how disappointed you’ve been, especially after being with us for years. We can absolutely understand your frustration around rising prices, no one likes seeing their power bills climb. It’s tough when it feels like loyalty hasn’t been recognised the way it should. The reality is, big increases in network and electricity industry costs across the market have meant we haven’t been able to hold rates steady the way we’d like, and that’s left some long-time customers feeling let down. We really do wish we could do more on that front.

We’re a fully online provider, which means all our support happens over LiveChat, email, or social. We have a different team monitoring online, and have chosen to go without the traditional call centre. This system helps us keep things running more efficiently (and costs lower for our customers), but we definitely hear you that it can be frustrating when you want that direct, personal touch. We know this approach isn’t the right fit for everyone, and we appreciate your honesty and want you to know we’re always here for a chat, a review, or just to talk things through. Just reach out anytime to our LiveChat.

We’re grateful you’ve been with us through all the changes and for sharing your feedback so openly. If you’d like us to take a close look at your account, talk through plan options, or help with anything at all, we’re here.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

16 jul 2026

Kia ora Alistair, we’re genuinely gutted to hear about your eSIM experience, especially after so much effort on your end. We absolutely want to get this sorted and would appreciate the chance to go through things with you directly.

With mobile porting (especially for eSIMs), every detail including having an active plan, account name, provider, number, SIM serial, and more has to match exactly to what your previous provider has on file to be able to transfer the number over. Unfortunately, all telco providers in NZ use the same nationwide porting system, which is pretty outdated (ancient) and can be unforgiving if even a small detail is off. We know this process isn’t user-friendly, but it’s designed that way for security and to reduce the risk of fraud or stolen numbers.

As much as we’d love to make the experience simpler, we’re required to follow these specific steps to comply with the national system (to make it work) and keep your details secure. We’re really keen to get you connected, so if you could please hop on LiveChat, one of our team can review everything with you in real time and help pinpoint exactly where things might be getting stuck. We also hope that some day there will be improvements to New Zealand's national porting infrastructure.

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

Geüpdatet op 7 jul 2026

Hey Steve! Thank you for letting us know, and we're gutted to hear it wasn't so smooth. Since we're online-based, all signups are done via our website where plans are selected on the first page. By the sounds of it, you may not have ticked the plan you wanted, so it would have defaulted to the first one. That's no worries, the team on Livechat can help sort that out!

That's also fantastic advice! It's always vital to check your thanks for joining email after signing up to anything to make sure details are correct too. Thank you for bringing that up too. If anything else is still looking off, please do get in touch with us on Livechat!

Antwoord van Electric Kiwi

7 jul 2026

Hey Benjamin! We're truly gutted to hear that and definitely keen to get that all checked out! Please do reach out via LiveChat on our website and the team can take a look!

We are are direct debit first as a company so by the sounds of it the invoiced amount may have attempted for any remaining balance as well as the newest invoiced period.

When it comes down to getting the bills the lowest for your home, it all depend on if the plan style, rates and home habits all align, we are a time-of-use company so we aren't always the best fit for homes where peak usage is the majority. We're geared towards homes that are keen to get more hands on with their power and loadshift their usage to make that difference. We're keen to have a chat and check out if you're on the best plan for your usage habits!