Everyone deserves fair treatment. The National Energy Retail law protects you and makes sure energy retailers follow the rules.
Your rights and responsibilities as an energy customer
Your energy retailer must:
- give you a fair contract with clear terms and conditions, so you know what you’re signing up for
- provide printed material or a one-page summary of their offer
- let you know if your contract changes, including the price of your gas and electricity
- provide clear information on your bill, including how your electricity use compares with other households in your area
- offer you flexible payment options
- offer hardship programs if you’re having difficulty paying your bill. This could include payment plans, energy efficiency advice or waiving late payment fees
- maintain your privacy, including a ‘no contact’ list so salespeople don’t call or visit you at home if you ask them not to
- tell you how to make a complaint if you have a problem.
If you’re affected by family violence, you have extra protections. If this is something you’re dealing with, speak to your retailer, who must support you without needing formal documentation.
As an energy customer, you are responsible for:
- keeping your electricity and gas meters easy to access for readings and maintenance
- telling your energy retailer if you’re moving house
- telling your energy retailer if your energy use changes, like running a small business from home and you use more energy
- telling your energy retailer if someone in your home needs life support equipment, with confirmation from a doctor.
Your rights as an embedded network customer
If you are an embedded network customer, you usually buy your energy from the site owner, manager or a third party. They pay the network charges for supplying your energy. Then, they’ll include your portion of these charges in your energy bill.
Some embedded network customers can choose their energy retailer, with an ‘energy-only’ offer. Others use the retailer provided by their site owner or manager.
If you live in an embedded network and choose your own retailer, make sure you don’t pay network charges twice. Do this by:
- making sure the plan from your chosen retailer is ‘energy only’, which means you won’t be charged for network costs, or
- advising the site owner or manager of your ‘energy only’ plan arrangements, to ensure they bill you appropriately.
Find out how we’re making changes so everyone has the same protections.
How to get help
The Australian Energy Regulator provides more information about how to choose a retailer, especially if you live in an embedded network.
Visit the Australian Energy Regulator website
The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW can help with complaints about your energy retailer or energy business.
NSW Fair Trading provides advice on home building and solar installation issues, like customer protections, safety guarantees and workmanship.
Please note
The NSW Government and the Minister for Energy can't legally resolve issues with your energy retailer or other energy businesses. Please follow the steps outlined above to make a complaint.
