How to Reconnect Your Electricity Supply in Australia
These days almost everyone has to rely upon electricity at home. Almost every work deserves robust electricity connection. Having your power detached can be a challenging experience and you need to know how to get it switched back at the quickest possible time. This blog explains what happens when your power gets disconnected, the reason behind its happening and what you can do to get it reconnected.
Why has my Electricity Been Disconnected?
Since you have a plan of moving house, you might request your service provider to disconnect the electricity. Likewise, if you have moved into a new home, it is expected that the past residents also going to disconnect the power, and you are required to contact a retailer to arrange a new electricity connection.
There are a number of other reasons that your retailer can cut off your electricity
- You haven’t paid your bill
- No safe access to your meter for 3 consecutive scheduled readings
- A state of emergency
- You have provided misleading information to the retailer
- You have operated illegal activity on the premises
- You have damaged equipment owned by the electricity distributor
If you receive a Disconnection Notice…
If at all possible, the ideal solution is to settle the amount due on the disconnection warning notice prior to the due date. This will stop you from being disconnected.
If you cannot pay the account, you should ring your retailer as soon as possible. Some of the options they may offer include:
- A payment plan
- Access to rebates or concessions
- Access to a financial hardship program
- Information about financial counselling
If your disconnection warning notice is because of an unpaid bill, you need to phone your retailer as soon as possible in order to obtain more details and resolve the matter.
If you think you have sent a warning notice in error, get in touch with your retailer right away. If it appears as a major issue, they are able to fix the issue on spot. Somehow if you are unable to fix the situation with them directly, you are free to get in touch with service provider for the necessary assistance.
Getting Electricity Back
To get back electricity, you are required to contact your retailer to come to an amicable solution. They are certainly going to advise you about the necessary steps to follow, which varies based on the exact circumstances that leads to disconnection.
What Is a Wrongful Disconnection?
While uncommon, your power can be disconnected by mistake. Your electricity might be disconnected for a number of reasons, for example, if your supplier disconnects your electricity when the law does not permit them to do so, if they do not carry out the proper notification procedure and disconnection procedure or if they disconnect the wrong premises.
If this has occurred to you, you may be entitled to compensation in the form of a Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) payment. Ring your electricity retailer at once if you have been unfairly disconnected to have your electricity reconnected and receive your GSL payment.
Conclusion
Having your power cut off, especially if you didn’t expect it to happen, can be stressful. By knowing why your retailer cut you off, and what you can do to be reconnected, you can fix the problem as soon as possible. Don’t forget, as a consumer you are entitled to an energy supply and there are protection laws that prevent you from being disconnected wrongfully.
If your electricity is cut off, ring your retailer as soon as possible to get a solution. Most of the time, you will be asked to make a payment, or half payment of your bill before you can have your electricity restored. If you are unable to find a solution, contact your local energy ombudsman for additional advice and guidance for your case.
If the cost of your electricity bill is putting you in constant worry about being cut off, we at Utility Market are able to assist you to shop around energy plans from our list of approved electricity providers to see if there is a lower alternative for your bill.
