Your Rights and Responsibilities
The Commission sets minimum standards to protect Victorian electricity and gas, domestic and small business consumers. We set out these minimum standards in our Codes and Guidelines. The key codes protecting domestic and small business customers are:
- the Energy Retail Code, which sets the minimum standards for retailers, including in relation to billing, complaints handling and disconnection practices, credit assessments and requirements for security deposits.
- the Energy Marketing Code of Conduct, which sets out requirements retailers must meet in marketing their services and products to consumers. For further information see Energy Marketing.
- the Electricity Distribution Code and Gas Distribution System Code, which set minimum standards that electricity and gas distribution businesses must meet, including in relation to the quality and reliability of supply, information to consumers, complaints handling and other matters.
Other important rules protecting consumers are contained in:
- the Energy Facts: Use and Disclosure of Customer Information, explains the way retailers collect and disclose customer information. It also explains the requirements for a customer to have consented to the use of their private information.
If you believe that a retailer or distributor has not complied with these rules and you wish to make a complaint you should initially contact the business. If you are not satisfied with its response you can make a complaint to the Energy and Water Ombudsman.
The Benchmark Customer Charter has been produced by the ESC to assist customers to identify their rights and obligations in their electricity and/or gas retailer’s customer charter.
Electricity: your entitlement to a reliable supply explains how customers who have experienced repeated disruptions to their electricity supply may be entitled to a financial payment.
Electricity: your entitlement to a reliable supply explains how customers who have experienced repeated disruptions to their electricity supply may be entitled to a financial payment.
