Keeping the lights on retailer No disconnection If you’re having difficulties paying a gas or phone numbers All households have rights that protect them from bill, it’s vital that you contact your retailer to let disconnection if they can’t afford to pay a bill, and them know about the problem. Before doing so, ensure that retailers follow proper processes when think about your situation and decide what type of AGL 131 245 considering disconnection. If a retailer disconnects assistance you need and what payment amount and Australian Power & Gas 133 298 without following proper processes, the household is schedule you can afford. eligible for compensation for wrongful disconnection. 1800 775 929 If you need to negotiate a bill extension, organise to Country Energy 132 356 Proper process includes making reasonable attempts repay a debt, or figure out ongoing payments – for to contact the customer, giving adequate notice example via a payment arrangement – phone the Dodo Power & Gas 133 636 of disconnection, and (for dual fuel contracts) not retailer’s call centre. If you have ongoing financial or Energy Australia 131 562 disconnecting electricity and gas at the same time. personal problems that make it difficult to manage Lumo Energy 1300 115 866 bills on a regular basis, ask for the hardship team. Additionally, households cannot be disconnected if: Momentum Energy 1300 662 778 JJIt’s a Friday, the weekend, the day before a public (All energy retailers have specialist hardship teams to holiday or after 2pm on a weekday; help households with ongoing affordability problems Neighbourhood Energy 1300 764 860 JJThey’re currently participating in a retailer’s manage their energy use, reduce their bills, and affordably 132 461 hardship program or complying with a payment pay for ongoing usage and repay debt.) Powerdirect 1300 307 966 plan; Energy retailers will offer flexibility to customers Red Energy 131 806 JJThey have not been offered a second payment who need it, but they rely on customers identifying plan (if they have defaulted on their first); Simply Energy 138 808 themselves as experiencing bill payment difficulty: so JJThey’ve applied for a Utility Relief Grant that it’s vitally important that you let them know there’s TRUenergy 133 466 hasn’t yet been decided on; a problem, and tell them exactly what you can afford JJThey’ve complained to EWOV about the reason to pay. Otherwise you may end up on an unaffordable they’re being disconnected and it has not been payment plan that leads to increased debt or possible Other useful resolved; or disconnection. Where the bill payment difficulty is phone numbers J likely to be ongoing, you should ask directly about JSomeone in the house requires life support hardship programs. Energy and Water Ombudsman equipment. (EWOV) 1800 500 509 Further detailed information for community support workers on helping households having difficulties Concessions Unit with electricity and gas bills can be found in Energy (Department of Human Services) Hardship: a guide for agencies at bit.ly/hardshipguide 1800 658 521

Developed by the Victorian Council of Social Service www.vcoss.org.au Keeping the lights on Know your rights when dealing with electricity and gas bills Supported by the Victorian Government to resolve the issue. to resolve to a supervisor or manager. Contact the retailer and attempt retailer Contact the Resolving disputes Resolving to help avoid problems in the future. problems to help avoid assistance under the hardship program program assistance under the hardship If first contact is unhelpful, ask to speak If first contact is unhelpful, Ongoing affordability If the issue is still not resolved after two after two resolved If the issue is still not and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV). Ombudsman Water and paying easier including payment plans or (if plans or (if including payment easier paying attempts, lodge a complaint with the Energy attempts, payment difficulties are likely to be ongoing) to be ongoing) likely difficulties are payment Talk to the retailer about options to make bill about options to make to the retailer Talk NO paying and paying arrangement. for assistance. assistance. for compensation. The household they should not should they the Energy and If a household is If the household participating in a If disconnection be disconnected. is having ongoing ongoing is having is having difficulty is having hardship program program hardship hardship program. program. hardship Victoria (EWOV) Victoria (EWOV) Notify the retailer Notify the retailer difficulty ask about assistance available assistance available may be eligible for be eligible for may that the household under the retailer’s under the retailer’s still occurs, contact still occurs, negotiate a payment payment a negotiate Water Ombudsman Water

YES Has the household been disconnected? Has the household to arrange to arrange steps under is affordable is affordable be eligible for be eligible for compensation. household may household may are likely to be likely are If the retailer is If the retailer and negotiate a and negotiate repayment plan repayment to the retailer’s to the retailer’s and check if the reconnection. If reconnection. Work out what out Work unhelpful, follow follow unhelpful, immediately. The immediately. retailer followed followed retailer extra assistance. with the retailer with the retailer hardship team for team for hardship all necessary steps payment difficulties payment (see overleaf). If not, If not, (see overleaf). ‘Resolving Disputes’. Explore the situation Explore before disconnection before request reconnection reconnection request ongoing, ask to speak ongoing, Disconnection for non-payment Disconnection

NO NO getting bill adjusted. Talk to retailer and/ to retailer Talk or Centrelink about or Centrelink claiming concessions. Talk to retailer about to retailer Talk Is the bill accurate? ‘Resolving Disputes’. bit.ly/dhs-concessions Unable to pay a bill to pay Unable reasons why; there could be an error. could there why; reasons YES YES If retailer is unhelpful, follow steps under follow is unhelpful, If retailer Information on concessions can be found at can be found on concessions Information Have concession entitlements been claimed? concession entitlements Have If the bill is much higher than usual, check the check higher than usual, If the bill is much Tell the retailer about payment difficulties and about payment the retailer Tell (If they have this should be shown on the bill.) on the be shown this should have (If they discuss options and assistance for bill payment. discuss options and assistance for