Electricity Connection FAQ

Moving homes is a busy time in anyone's life. Luckily, most energy providers don't need anyone home to be able to connect your new home. All you have to do is make sure that your electricity supply is switched off on the main switchboard beforehand for the technician to connect your new home successfully.

You may need to be home during this connection if you live in Queensland or New South Wales.

When vacating a property, switch off all lights, heating and appliances and notify your electricity provider of your moving out date. Sometimes properties can be vacant for an extended period of time between tenants. Any lights, heating or other devices left on during that period will consume electricity.

As long as you have notified your electricity provider that you are vacating a property on a given date, the cost of that consumption is not your responsibility. However, switching off lights, heating and appliances before you vacate will ensure electricity is not wasted and that’s good for your wallet!

When moving home, you're presented with an excellent opportunity to change your electricity provider. As you already have to contact them to organise the disconnection of your current home, it's only a simple extra step needed to change providers completely. This will mean that the first bill you get in your new home will become more cost-effective to your current usage and take up less room within your budget.

If you have a solar system installed, that’s awesome! You’re on your way to some great savings on your electricity bills, and you’re reducing the strain on our electricity grid, which is great for the environment! The process for connecting your electricity is similar, but the pricing will differ. You will need to consider both the rate per kilowatt hour that the provider offers you for the electricity you use from the grid as well as the feed-in tariff they offer for excess electricity your system generates back into the grid. Individual circumstances are important for solar customers, and our team members at HOOD take time to understand your specific case to advise on suitable plans.

Electricity bills are typically generated each quarter (4 months except if you live in Victoria which are sent out every two months. So the first energy bill you receive will always be from your old address. This bill will usually be sent a couple of weeks after your move and will cover the time from the start of the last quarter to the day you disconnected.

The first bill from the energy used in your new home could arrive between 10 and 100 days after you moved in, depending on the date you officially moved in.

Whether you're moving interstate or within your region, the steps needed to ensure your current and new home are ready will remain the same.

Some states like Queensland and Western Australia have energy regulations that allow the government to determine the prices and providers. At the same time, other states run through a full retail competition, which means that the government imposes no restrictions, and you're free to choose and switch amongst electricity providers. When moving between these regulated and unregulated markets, it's important to note that prices will differ notably.

Electricity is essentially charged based on how much you use, which is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). So, it’s essential you consider the rate per kilowatt hour a provider offers you.  Generally, rates can vary from 16 cents per kilowatt hour to 40 cents per kilowatt hour, that difference can have a big impact on your wallet!

Electricity providers advertise various energy plans which detail the specific rates on offer.  Comparing between providers and their plans can be confusing as many offer different rates for different times of the day and additional incentives like ‘double up’ discounts for connecting both electricity and gas with the same provider and ‘pay on time’ discounts. Contract terms like the length of the contract, late payment and exit fees also vary between providers. How can you ensure you are comparing like-for-like? When it comes to assessing your options, knowledge and experience go a long way.

It is possible that your energy provider may charge connections fees, which are passed on to you through your retailer. These fees can range between $10 and $100 and will appear on your first bill. HOOD is able to advise what to expect when you call us, so that you can plan for your first bill. We can help choose the right provider for you and organise your connection, minimising fees and charges. Our service is completely free of charge.

If you are a concession card holder, you may be eligible for a discount on supply and usage charges as well as connection and disconnection fees.