Energy Retail Code of Practice

We have remade the Energy Retail Code into a code of practice.

We reviewed the protections for customers within the code, such as when customers can be financially recognised for low reliability of electricity supply. This was part of a broader code review.

We made changes to reduce the allowable back-billing period for retail energy customers from nine months to four months.

We have finalised targeted reforms to support residential and small business customers in managing their energy bills through the pandemic.

We made changes to ensure electricity and gas contracts are clear and fair, in response to recommendations made by the independent bipartisan review of electricity and gas retail markets in 2018.

We have strengthened and clarified protections for life support customers.

We set new standards for bills and marketing materials to help customers navigate the energy market more effectively.

We are working with energy retailers on how they can support customers affected by family violence.

We have made changes to the energy retail code to specify which obligations apply to certain types of electricity sellers who are exempt from holding a licence.

We updated the energy rules to better protect residential customers that are anticipating or facing payment difficulty.

In early 2018, we changed the Energy Retail Code so that energy retailers in Victoria must notify customers when any 'fixed benefit' periods change or end.

We updated several codes and guidelines to ensure they aligned with the national energy customer framework and new legislation.

The introduction of smart meters required us to make changes to energy-related regulatory instruments.

We considered a request by energy retailers to vary obligations on them in certain circumstances under the Energy Retail Code.

We undertook a review of our energy-related regulatory instruments.