MARTIN Lewis has urged millions of households to do a vital energy check this week to avoid a bill nightmare.
The warning from the MoneySavingExpert (MSE) founder comes just days before energy bills are set to fall as the latest changes to the energy price cap come into effect.
The average price of an energy bill is due to fall by £122 a year on 1 July, when the change officially takes place.
The energy regulator Ofgem confirmed the new price cap last month, and it comes into effect on Monday.
The cap will fall from the current rate of £1,690 a year to £1,568 - the lowest level in two years.
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But bear in mind that the price cap is reviewed every three months, so your annual bill could still change.
In the latest MSE newsletter, Martin Lewis encouraged households to take a meter reading before midnight on June 30.
The team wrote: "With monthly Direct Debit, firms estimate your usage so the cost can be evened out over the year.
"With prices dropping right now, unless you've a working smart meter, firms will estimate how much of your current usage is during the higher rate time, and how much is afterwards.
"So submitting a meter reading within a few days either side of the change (most let you backdate) means they've less wriggle room, and your bill will be more accurate."
If you have a smart meter, you don’t need to take a reading, as this is sent to your supplier automatically.
But it is worth making sure that your meter is sending readings correctly, as sometimes smart meters can have issues.
Take a photo of your meter on July 1, and compare it to what is showing when you log into your energy account.
It is worth keeping the photo as you can submit it to your provider later if there are any disputes.
An updated meter reading helps stop your supplier from determining bill prices that aren't accurate to your usage.
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In addition, if you are disputing a bill, taking a meter reading is a must.
If it's lower than your estimate, you can ask your provider to lower your monthly direct debit to a more suitable amount.
The energy price cap works by setting a limit on the maximum amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity.
It's not a cap on how much you can be charged for the energy that you use - so if you use more, you'll pay more.
Gareth Kloet, energy spokesperson for Go.Compare Energy, said: “Taking a meter reading on June 30 before the price drop comes into force will mean that your energy company cannot charge you at the higher rate for any units you use after that date.
"Even for those who have a smart meter, it’s a good idea to take meter readings regularly to make sure that your energy usage is being captured accurately and that you are being charged the correct amount for the units you use."
How do I take a meter reading?
How you take a meter reading can vary depending on the type you have, and we explain it in further detail below.
There should be a digital display or dial with numbers on it, which you can then report to your supplier.
If you're not sure which numbers to use, Citizens's Advice has a handy guide.
Once you have the numbers you should be able to submit them to your supplier.
This can be done in several ways depending on which supplier you're with - such as via app, text message phone or website - so check with your supplier.
It is always worth taking a picture of your meter reading when you submit it to your supplier - just in case you need it as evidence for a future dispute.
Below we explain the two ways you can take your meter reading based on the type you have.
Electricity meters
If you have a digital electricity meter, you will just see a row of six numbers - five in black and one in red.
Take down the five numbers in black and ignore the red number.
If you are on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff which gives you cheaper electricity at night - you will have two rows of numbers, so take both readings down.
If you have a traditional dial meter you will need to read the first five dials from left to right ignoring any red ones.
If the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower figures and if it is between nine and zero write down the number nine.
If the dial is directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
If you’ve underlined a number, check the next dial to the right.
If the pointer on that dial is between 9 and 0, reduce the number you’ve underlined by 1.
For example, if you originally wrote down 5, change it to 4.
Gas meters
If you have a digital metric meter showing five numbers and then a decimal place, you only need to write down the first five numbers from left to right.
If you have a digital imperial meter your meter will read four black numbers and two red numbers - note down the four black numbers only.
If you have a dial gas meter, follow the same steps as those for those with a dial electricity meter, but ignore underlining any figures.
