This code sets out the rules electricity and gas retailers must follow when selling energy to Victorian customers. This page also includes guidance to help industry and consumers understand their existing obligations under the Energy Retail Code of Practice.
Energy Retail Code of Practice
Overview
This code sets out the rules electricity and gas retailers must follow when selling energy to Victorian customers. This page also includes guidance to help industry and consumers understand their existing obligations under the Energy Retail Code of Practice.
It covers areas including:
- customer contracts
- billing disputes
- payment difficulties
- contents of bills.
We review and amend the code to reflect legislative and statutory requirements, and to make sure it meets changing requirements.
This page allows you to access amendments that are yet to commence and past versions of the code.
Current version of the Energy Retail Code of Practice
Reviewing the Energy Retail Code of Practice
We are reviewing the Energy Retail Code of Practice to:
- address key actual or potential harms to Victorian consumers in a proportionate manner
- clarify or update obligations identified as unclear or inconsistent
- advance our Getting to fair strategy by further supporting consumers experiencing vulnerability.
We published our issues paper on 6 June 2024. Consultation on the issues paper closes on 19 July 2024.
Previous versions
Previous versions of the Energy Retail Code of Practice
Previous versions of the Energy Retail Code
On 1 December 2021 the Energy Retail Code was deemed a code of practice made under Part 6 of the Essential Services Commission Act 2001. Below are the versions of the Energy Retail Code that were applicable prior to this change of legal status of the code.
Previous amendments
Previous amendments to the Energy Retail Code
1 March 2022
As part of its Energy Fairness Plan Commitments, the Victorian Government has reformed the enforcement framework that we operate under. To align with this new framework our existing energy codes transitioned to ‘codes of practice’. On 1 March 2022 the Energy Retail Code was remade to reflect its changed legal status as a code of practice.
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1 July 2021
These changes were introduced in stages:
1 January 2021: The ability for distributors to interrupt a customer's supply with less than four business days' notice subject to consent requirements. Transitional arrangements for the guaranteed service level scheme commence.
1 April 2021: New obligations on electricity retailers to provide better customer information to distributors.
1 July 2021: New planned outage communication requirements and guaranteed service level scheme.
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