Enforcement action against Morris Group Australia Pty Ltd

9 January 2025

The commission has taken enforcement action against Morris Group Australia Pty Ltd (trading as Smart User) for allegedly breaching the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program rules.

Alleged breach

Smart User allegedly breached the VEU program rules by creating 20 Victorian energy efficiency certificates (VEECs) for 3 residential heating upgrades involving: 

• inaccurate claims about the pre-existing heating (known as ‘baseline manipulation’) 
• failure to decommission the pre-existing heating in line with VEU program rules. 

Baseline manipulation is one of our 3 strategic priorities for VEU compliance and enforcement in 2024–25. 

An installer carried out these upgrades on Smart User’s behalf. Smart User, as the accredited business, is responsible for making sure certificates they create and any installer acting on their behalf, comply with the program rules. 

No financial cost to consumers was identified as a result of this alleged breach. The installer involved in the alleged misconduct is no longer participating in the VEU program.

Our decision

1. Require Smart User to undertake a compliance audit to assess their compliance with the VEU program rules, with a focus on their conduct under the space heating and cooling activity (activity 6). 
2. Order the surrender of 20 registered VEECs which are allegedly non-compliant, valued at over $2,000 (as at 8 January 2025).
3. Formally warn Smart User for creating VEECs that do not comply with the VEU program rules. Note: the certificate value on this page is based on the spot price of $110.75 as at 8 January 2025.

Note: the certificate value on this page is based on the spot price of $110.75 as at 8 January 2025.