Electricity consumer rights and complaints
As an electricity customer, you have consumer rights regarding supply, pricing and resolving disputes with electricity retailers and distributors.
You are entitled to have access to:
- essential electricity supply on fair and reasonable terms
- concessions and rebates (for eligible customers)
- fair complaints processes.
Your electricity rights
You can use the Energy Made Easy price comparator to research and evaluate products and services offered by electricity retailers.
All electricity retailers must provide the same information about their electricity offers in the same format. This is called an Energy Price Fact Sheet.
Every electricity retailer has to:
- tell you about any flexible payment options up front
- give you at least 10 business days' notice of any price increases (for customers in South East Queensland and market contract customers in regional Queensland)
- give you 20 business days' notice before any discounts (or other benefits) expire or change
- let you make regular, advance payments if you choose
- offer assistance to electricity customers finding it difficult to pay their bill
- tell you about concessions and rebates in disconnection warning notices
- give you advance notice about planned retailer interruptions to supply. (Electricity distributors must also give you advance notice about planned distributor interruptions to supply.)
Electricity retailers are not allowed to:
- charge more than $20 if you want to switch providers
- charge you upfront for meter tests.
Dispute resolution
If you have a problem with your electricity supply, you should contact your electricity retailer and try to resolve the matter directly with them.
You should also contact your electricity retailer if you have questions about:
- your contract, or disputes regarding charges on your bill
- disconnecting or reconnecting your service
- questions about your classification as a small energy customer (as all residential electricity customers are classified as small customers).
You can also contact these other organisations who can assist with electricity issues and consumer complaints:
- Energy and Water Ombudsman if you have experienced issues with your electricity retailer
- Office of Fair Trading for information and advice about your consumer rights
- Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal for mediation services for debt disputes
- Residential Tenancy Authority if you live in retirement villages or manufactured home parks, or are a tenant
- Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management if you live in units, townhouses or other communities managed by a body corporate.
Electricity Distribution Network Code
The Queensland Electricity Distribution Network Code supports the National Energy Customer Framework and sets out rules for electricity distributors and electricity retailers.
The framework provides electricity customers with information about the retail market and offers financial hardship support.
Rules for electricity retailers and electricity distributors under the code include:
- service obligations to customers
- management of distribution businesses
- network billing, customer transfers and metering practices
- rules on the services between retailers and distributors.
Guaranteed service levels payments
The code sets guaranteed service levels which Energex and Ergon Energy must meet. These relate to the quality of service provided.
You may qualify for a guaranteed service level payment from Energex or Ergon Energy if:
- your electricity is not connected (or reconnected) on time
- your electricity is wrongfully disconnected
- you do not receive a timely response to a loss of hot water supply enquiry
- an appointment you made is not kept
- you are not warned about a planned interruption to electricity supply to your home or business
- you have more than a specified number of eligible power outages in a financial year or you experience a single eligible outage for longer than a specified time.
If you live in South East Queensland, read about Energex’s guaranteed service levels and how to apply for a payment.
If you live in regional Queensland, read about Ergon Energy’s guaranteed service level payment how to apply for a payment.
Find out more
- Read more about electricity prices, tariffs and charges.
- Read about electricity supply for residents of multi-unit complexes.
- Have your say on dispute resolution for residential embedded network customers
- Learn how to save money on electricity.
- Find out about energy concessions.
- Locate a financial counsellor near you to assist with free financial support and advice.
- Further information is also available about consumer rights and for help to reduce energy costs at www.communitydoor.org.au/services/energy-and-water.