The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is pleased to announce that Discover Energy Pty Ltd (trading as Discover Energy) has adopted the AER’s Sustainable Payment Plans Framework (Framework). This takes the number of retailers who have signed up to the Framework to 21.
The Framework is intended to improve the quality of conversations retailers have with their customers about payment plans and encourage them to offer extra assistance to customers experiencing hardship. It aims to improve outcomes by helping customers and retailers agree to plans that are affordable and sustainable.
Under the National Energy Retail Law, energy retailers must develop, maintain and implement customer hardship policies for their residential customers. These policies are submitted to the AER for approval and must comply with the AER’s Customer Hardship Policy Guideline.
The purpose of a retailer’s customer hardship policy is to identify customers experiencing payment difficulties due to hardship and assist them to manage their energy bills on an ongoing basis.
Further information is available to customers on our Energy Made Easy and AER websites.