For the purposes of our complaint handling process, we don't recognise bills of exchange, promissory notes or similar instruments as payment for an energy or water bill. 

Energy and water providers may treat your account as unpaid if you rely on these as payment.

A bill of exchange is a document that directs another person or organisation to make a payment. 

A promissory note is a document that contains a promise to pay money at a future date.

These types of documents are rarely used in everyday consumer transactions. 

If you use a bill of exchange, promissory note or similar instrument instead of a payment method that is accepted by your provider, your bill may still be treated as unpaid, which may lead to:

• debt collection activity
• credit reporting
• disconnection or restriction of your energy or water service (where allowed under relevant regulations)
• recovery action to collect the outstanding amount.  

Your provider may not return the bill of exchange, promissory note or similar instrument to you. We don't consider a bill to have been paid simply because the document was not returned. 

If you contact us because your provider has not accepted a bill of exchange, promissory note or similar document, we will usually first ask the provider to review the issue and respond directly to you.

If the complaint progresses, we will:

• not require the provider to accept the bill of exchange, promissory note or similar instrument as payment
• consider whether the provider met its obligations relating to billing, payment assistance, debt collection, disconnection or restriction of supply
• assess each complaint based on its individual circumstances.

We can't provide legal advice about the Bills of Exchange Act 1909 or related legal arguments.

We help Victorian consumers resolve disputes with their energy and water providers. Our service is free, independent and fair.

For more information, visit ewov.com.au or call us on 1800 500 509.