Switching energy providers

Residents in the following Australian regions can choose, and change, their electricity and gas suppliers:

• Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
• New South Wales (NSW)
• South Australia (SA)
• Southeast Queensland (SE Qld)
• Victoria (Vic).

Tasmanians and those in the Northern Territory (NT) may be able to change between providers, but options are limited. Some Western Australian (WA) residents can choose their gas provider if they live within the Perth metropolitan area.

The electricity information provided on this page is only applicable to National Electricity Market (NEM) states and territories (i.e. NSW, Qld, ACT, SA, Vic and Tas).

Whether or not you can choose your energy provider depends on where you live. For electricity, those in Western Australia (WA) can’t choose their electricity provider due to the entire residential market being regulated. For those tied to an embedded network (such as in certain apartment complexes or retirement villages), there is usually one electricity supplier for the whole building – even for those outside of WA.

For gas, the same circumstances apply. This means that if you live in a deregulated market, such as Victoria, New South Wales (NSW), South Australia (SA), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) or southeast Queensland (Qld), you’re able to choose between providers.

Compare the Market doesn’t currently offer energy comparisons for Tasmania or the Northern Territory, and only gas plans are available for comparison for Western Australians.

You might consider changing energy providers for a few key reasons, including to avoid paying “loyalty tax” or you’re moving house and want to find a better price. If you don’t shop around, you may find that you are paying inflated rates. That’s why it’s essential you regularly compare offers on the market.

A move will serve as a timely reminder to assess your current utility costs and discover what other options are available to you and who can get you connected when you need it, but it’s a good idea to compare whether you are moving or not.

However, if you’re not moving house, there may still be benefits if you switch from your current provider. For example, you might be interested in:

• Finding a better price. If your gas or electricity bill is rising, there may be a better deal available with another provider that offers discounts, perks or other incentives to keep costs down.
• Aligning with a service provider who cares about the same things you do. Perhaps you’d like to reduce your carbon footprint and use renewable energy or add some green energy with your existing provider.
• Finding a plan with a flexible contract. You may want a plan that doesn’t penalise you for terminating early or making changes, or a plan that allows you to lock in your rates for a set period.
• Taking advantage of solar electricity rebates. If you’re installing solar panels, you can add a feed-in tariff or compare different tariffs before changing electricity providers if you already have them. You can also add a solar battery to store solar energy and use it in the evening – which can also help you avoid paying for the highest peak rates if you’re on a demand or time of use tariff.
• Enjoying top-quality service. Looking for great customer service for your electricity or gas provider could be another reason you would change.

Depending on which Australian state or territory you reside in, you may have different options when switching energy suppliers.

To switch energy providers, you’ll need to review the details of your current plan, take note of your energy usage, compare other plans available and then, if possible, sign up for a better option. Once you’ve found a suitable alternative, you can apply for the plan. Your new provider will handle the rest.

Here are seven steps to switching energy providers broken down in detail:

1. 1. Take stock of your current plan’s exit fees
      Review your current energy plan’s terms and conditions to determine if you could face any early exit fees for cancelling before your contract renews. Keep these termination fees in mind, even if the fee is less than what you’ll save by switching.
   2. Review your current rate and any discounts
      By understanding the usage rates, supply charges and discounts currently applied to your account, you should have a clearer picture of what’s ‘good value’ when weighing up your current plan against others. This information may be on your bill, or you can contact your provider to find out. Some rates will have discounts already applied (unconditional discounts) while others may apply to the whole bill and can be dependent on the account holder, such as pay-on-time discount (conditional discounts).
   3. Ensure you have paid outstanding bills
      If you have any outstanding energy bills or a financial hardship agreement with your current provider, you may not be able to switch to another provider until you pay the outstanding debt. For electricity, however, you can switch providers even if you haven’t completed your current billing cycle with your provider. You shouldn’t be billed twice, as your current retailer will send you a final bill that covers the period up to the switch date and then you’ll receive future bills from your new retailer.
   4. Determine your energy requirements
      Before comparing energy providers, it’s essential you understand your energy use and requirements before finding a suitable plan for your needs, as it will vary between households. A quick way to work out how much electricity and gas you typically use is to compare your energy bills from the last year. Doing so will give you an indication of how your energy usage changes across different seasons.
   5. Compare a range of energy plans
      Head to our energy comparison service and select whether you’re comparing electricity, gas or both, as well as if you’re moving. Then, follow the prompts, entering details about your home, including:
      • your home’s address
      • whether you have solar panels
      • your electricity and gas usage (if you have this information)
      • your name and email address.
   6. Select a plan to view its details.
      Be sure to carefully weigh up each plan’s pros and cons, such as what discounts and attractive offers are available. Keep in mind to check when your benefit period will eventually expire, as your plan will revert to a higher rate at the end of this period. Be sure to check any new plans against your old one to ensure they’re suitable.
   7. Confirm the switchover once you’ve found a suitable plan
      Lock in your switch by applying through our online service and secure your new energy deal. Your new provider will take care of contacting your old provider, transferring your account and notifying the local distributor.¹

Switching to a new electricity provider now takes as little as two business days for electricity, meaning you could take advantage of new electricity prices, discounts and perks much quicker than in the past (when it took up to 90 days). However, the switching process for gas providers can still take up to 60 days in Victoria and 90 days everywhere else due to meter reading schedules.

No, you won’t need to cancel your energy provider when you change to a different deal. Once you sign up for a new plan, the transfer process will be handled by your new energy provider – no stress necessary!

When looking for a new energy plan and provider, you’ll want to consider its terms and conditions – does it offer a fixed rate period, any discounts or are you eligible for any concessions? Plus, some plans may have renewable energy options built-in, while others may offer to pay at different intervals.

Here are some basic points to look out for when choosing a new plan:

• Does the contract offer a fixed-rate period? When comparing energy plans, you’ll notice some providers offer fixed rates for a period (e.g. 12 months). This fixed rate can be a good thing if energy prices are rising in the market. However, you’re locked into the plan and may need to pay an exit fee if you wish to switch to a cheaper deal before the end of your contract.
• Does the contract offer any discounts? There are two types of discounts that may be available to you: guaranteed or conditional. Conditional discounts may be ongoing but rely on the customer fulfilling eligibility requirements (such as pay-on-time discounts). Guaranteed discounts are unconditional but may have a benefit period that will expire or are subject to change.
• Are you receiving a ‘standing offer’ for electricity? You may be on the standing offer if you’ve never signed up to a market offer or the discounts on your previous market offer have expired. Market offers are usually cheaper than standing offer plans due to discounts, incentives and other perks. If you aren’t on a market offer, you could be missing out on potential savings.
• What is the provider’s customer service like? Be sure to consider how the provider handles service requests. Usually, you can complete service requests over the phone, but a growing number of businesses now offer online services for a more efficient customer experience.
• Are you eligible for any concessions on your energy plans? If you hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card, state-issued or Commonwealth Senior Card or receive eligible Centrelink payments, you may be entitled to energy rebates and concessions. Keep an eye out for these concessions when you compare energy plans.

It depends. You may be charged by your current energy provider if they require an exit fee, which will be included in your contract’s terms and conditions. If you’re subject to such penalties, you’ll need to weigh up the benefits of the savings compared with the costs of prematurely ending your contract term.
In some circumstances, you might save more money by waiting until your contract ends and then switching energy providers.
You won’t need to pay a connection fee when you switch energy companies unless you’re moving. If you are moving, your new provider will include this fee in your first bill. It costs nothing to compare a range of energy providers through our free comparison tool.

Yes, you have the right to change your mind about your energy plan and cancel it within the cooling-off period.The cooling-off period is a time frame in which you can cancel the agreement without incurring any fees or penalties. It begins the day after you receive your welcome pack from your new provider and runs for 10 business days.

No lock-in plans will let you leave without a fee at any time.

If you do decide to cancel your plan, you can simply contact your new provider within this period. There may be other costs involved on top of the potential fee: you may have to pay for a meter read or a disconnection fee if you’re ending your plan rather than switching.

A good time to switch energy providers in Australia is when your contract ends, when prices are updated (which happens around 1 July each year) or if your bill increases without a change in your energy usage. You may also find your personal circumstances affect whether you should change, such as whether renewing your contract would increase your bills with your current provider or if you’re moving house and find that there are better offers available on the market.

“A good time” to switch energy providers depends on your personal circumstances, as there are certain factors you must consider before switching. For instance, you may find it better to switch from your current contract before it’s renewed to avoid possibly renewing to a higher price with your current provider. Or, you may be moving house and find that there are better offers available on the market.

Here’s when you may want to consider switching:

• It’s the end of your contract: You may be on an introductory discount or lower rate when you first join a plan, and these usually expire after the first 12-24 months. After that, your rate will likely jump to a higher market rate and could cost you much more.
• Annual price changes are taking place: Most retailers will change their pricing at the start of the financial year, in response to the Default Market Offer (DMO) or the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) in Victoria. This makes June/July a key time to compare plans.
• If your bill increases unexpectedly: If you haven’t increased your energy usage but find your bills are starting to cost more, this may be because of tariff changes, expired discounts or network cost increases.

If you do decide to switch energy provider, it’s a simple process.

In today’s energy market, providers compete to gain and retain your business. They may advertise conditional discounts and loyalty programs to keep you with them and encourage you not to compare quotes with services offered elsewhere. These deals will vary depending on your provider, plan and eligibility.
Before signing up to a new energy retailer, you’ll need to weigh up any special promotions and discounts such as alternate rates and one-off bill credits from your current energy provider when comparing energy plans on the market.