Disconnection and restriction

Disconnection and restriction 

This guide shows you how to keep your electricity, gas, or water supply connected. It also explains the rules that protect you. 

If you are having trouble paying 

If you can’t pay your bill and might get disconnected, contact your provider now. 

All providers have a customer assistance program. They must offer you payment options if you need help. 

They can also help you access emergency assistance, such as: 

• Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA)  
• Water Payment Assistance Scheme (PAS) vouchers. 

If you act early, you can often avoid disconnection. 

If you have already been disconnected 

If your supply has been disconnected, you will usually need to: 

• pay something towards your account, or  
• agree to a payment plan, 

before your provider will reconnect you. 

If your provider lets you pay over time, they will usually send someone to reconnect you. This often happens the same day. 

Sometimes reconnection can take longer. This may happen if: 

• you were disconnected at the pole, or  
• you contact your provider late in the afternoon. 

In these cases, you may not be reconnected until the next day. 

If you're disconnected and can't reach your provider, call us at 1800 246 545. Our service is free, fair and independent. 

Electricity and gas disconnection rules 

There are rules about when and how a provider can disconnect your electricity or gas. These rules are set out in the National Energy Retail Rules. 

How disconnection happens 

Disconnection usually happens at the meter box. 

For electricity, a provider might set up a pole top disconnection if: 

• the meter is not accessible, or  
• the supply has been reconnected without the provider’s authority. 

If you need a payment plan 

If you have an overdue bill and need a payment plan, contact your retailer. 

An energy provider cannot disconnect your supply for non-payment if: 

• you are on their hardship program, or  
• you have told them you are experiencing financial difficulty, unless, in the past 12 months, the provider has already offered you help twice.  

This could be a payment plan or other help under their hardship program. 

When your electricity or gas cannot be disconnected 

Your electricity or gas supply cannot be disconnected: 

• when you have an appointment with a community agency about EAPA vouchers and your provider has been given the appointment details  
• when you or someone in your home uses a life support machine that runs on electricity and your energy provider knows this  
• on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, a public holiday, or any day before a public holiday
• before 8 am or after 3 pm  
• when the debt is less than $300 and you have agreed with the retailer to pay this amount  
• on any day from 20 December to 31 December (inclusive)  
• when you are sticking to a formal payment plan  
• when you have a formal complaint about the overdue amount with your retailer or with EWON (your retailer or EWON must have confirmed there is a hold on disconnection activity). 

When your electricity or gas can be disconnected 

Your electricity or gas supply can be disconnected when: 

• you do not contact the retailer to open an account or pay for the energy you have used  
• you do not pay an overdue amount  
• you do not agree to any of the retailer’s payment plan offers  
• you do not stick to your payment plan (for example, you miss a payment or pay late)  
• your payment plan is cancelled  
• you do not stay in contact with the provider (for example, you do not tell them you have an EAPA appointment or that you made a payment)  
• you have not paid a security deposit  
• the wiring or gas piping in your home is unsafe. 

Steps a provider must take before they disconnect you 

Before disconnecting you, a provider must take a number of steps.  

This includes sending you at least two written notices: 

• a reminder notice  
• a disconnection warning notice. 

The disconnection warning notice can be sent at least 6 business days after the reminder notice. 

The disconnection warning notice should include: 

• the reason for disconnection  
• the date the warning period ends, and that payment must be made during the warning period  
• how reconnection works, and that there is a reconnection charge  
• that you can contact EWON, including our contact details  
• the phone number for the retailer and the distributor. 

After sending the disconnection warning, the provider must try to reach you. This is to give you a chance to pay or agree to a payment arrangement. 

They may try to contact you by phone, fax or in person. 

Fees 

In most cases, you will have to pay a disconnection fee and a reconnection fee. 

These fees are set by the Australian Energy Regulator, not by the companies. 

There may also be extra fees if: 

• you want reconnection after hours (after 3 pm on weekdays), or  
• you were disconnected at the pole, not the meter box. 

If the provider disconnected you by mistake, they shouldn’t charge you. If they didn’t try to contact you, that also means no fee. 

Shortened collection cycle 

If you get a reminder or warning for two bills in a row, your retailer can put you on a shorter collection cycle. 

This means the retailer only has to send you one written notice instead of two. They still have to try to contact you. 

Before this happens, the retailer must let you know that you might be put on the shorter collection cycle. They must do this before they send you a notice for the second bill in a row. 

If you pay the next three bills in a row by the due date, you will be taken off the shortened collection cycle. 

If you’re having money problems, you can’t be on the shortened collection cycle. This applies if you’re in the retailer’s hardship program, too. 

Water restriction 

Water is usually not cut off. This is because it can impact public health. 

However, water can be restricted. This means there is only a very small flow of water to the property. 

Hunter Water and Sydney Water have contracts. They show their restrictions.  

The guidelines below apply to customers of these two water suppliers. 

Grounds for restriction 

Hunter Water and Sydney Water can restrict your water if you: 

• do not pay an amount that is due  
• do not give access to the meter  
• have plumbing work that does not meet the rules  
• break a relevant law  
• discharge unauthorised trade wastewater  
• discharge chemicals that are a health risk  
• do not install a backflow prevention device when required  
• use recycled water in the wrong way  
• do not follow the terms of the customer contract. 

Notification of restriction 

Unlike electricity and gas, water suppliers do not have to follow a set notice schedule in law. 

Sydney Water and Hunter Water will write to customers. They may also try to contact you by phone or in person before restricting the water supply.