Protections for residential electricity customers experiencing family and domestic violence commenced from 20 February 2023, following the ERA's Final decision on the review of the Code of Conduct for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers 2018.
The Code of Conduct for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers 2022 regulates the conduct of retailers and distributors that supply electricity to residential and small business customers.
The protections include privacy protections, a nine-month moratorium on disconnections, and a requirement for retailers to have a family violence policy. The family violence policy must cover:
- Staff training on how to recognise and assist customers affected by family violence.
- The protection of customer account information from third parties.
- Customer support procedures to avoid the need for customers repeatedly discussing or disclosing their experience of family violence.
- The need to assess the possible affect on customers before initiating debt recovery processes.
- Consideration of customer circumstances before disconnecting their service for non-payment.
