The Australian Energy Regulator has released its revised Retail Exempt Selling Guideline and accompanying Notice of Final Instrument. The revised Guideline (version 5) comes into effect from the date of publication.
We have revised the Guideline to provide access for exempt residential customers to energy ombudsman schemes. Importantly, the Guideline requires exempt sellers with residential customers to be members of, or subject to, an ombudsman scheme, where the scheme allows them to be. The Guideline also includes several amendments to strengthen exempt customer protections, better align the exempt selling framework with the retailer authorisation framework, and make minor clarifications.
All sellers of energy must hold either an authorisation or an exemption under the National Energy Retail Law. The purpose of the Guideline is to assist anyone selling energy incidentally or on a small scale, such as retirement villages, caravan parks and landlords to to register or apply for an exemption and to explain the conditions they must comply with if they hold an exemption.