The AER has today commenced consultation on minor drafting amendments to Compliance Procedures and Guidelines, Performance Reporting Procedures and Guidelines, Retailer of Last Resort Plan and Pricing Information Guidelines made under the National Energy Retail Law.
Amendments to these guidelines will be finalised prior to the commencement of the National Energy Retail Law on 1 July 2012.
Interested parties wishing to make submissions are required to do so by no later than 28 May 2012. Late submissions may not be taken into account.
Customer hardship policies of all transitioning retailers approved
New National Energy Retail Law and Rules will commence on 1 July 2012. Currently licensed retailers—who will be transitioned to authorised retailers under the Retail Law—must have an AER approved customer hardship policy in place for 1 July. These new hardship measures will provide an important safeguard for consumers experiencing financial difficulties. They will require retailers to develop hardship policies that identify these customers and help them to manage their energy bills.
The AER must approve each retailer’s customer hardship policy where it is satisfied that the policy meets the requirements set out in the Retail Law and Rules. To assist retailers, the AER prepared Guidance on the type of content retailers must include in their policies and the kind of factors and information the AER will consider when reviewing policies for approval.
The AER has been working with transitioning retailers over the past months to review their customer hardship policies in order to ensure that they satisfy the requirements of the Law and Rules. The AER has now approved all transitioning retailers’ customer hardship policies.
New entrant retailers who wish to be authorised to sell energy under the new Retail Law must also submit their customer hardship policies to the AER for approval (within three months of being granted a retailer authorisation).
Once approved, retailers are required to publish their customer hardship policies on their websites. This will assist customers’ understanding of the assistance available if they are having problems paying their bills.