Setting up the connection
If you are moving into a property that already has an active electricity connection, you generally have two options: stay with the existing retailer at that address (the "move-in" process) or choose a new retailer entirely. There is no requirement to keep whoever supplied the previous occupant, and this is the best time to compare plans since you have no early exit fee to worry about.
If the meter is currently off (a new build, or a property that has been vacant with power disconnected), you will need a technician visit to energise the connection, which can take a few business days to book depending on your distributor's availability.
Give your retailer your move-in date, and where possible a meter reading from the day you take possession (a photo of the meter is fine). This reduces the chance of your first bill relying on an estimate.
Compare plans before you connect
Enter your new postcode to see current offers, so you can choose your retailer rather than default into whoever was there before.
Compare electricity plansWhy your first bill looks different
Pro-rata billing period. Your first bill almost never lines up with a full monthly or quarterly cycle. If you moved in 10 days before the billing cycle closed, that bill covers 10 days, and the fixed daily supply charge will look small. If it happens to span a longer stretch to catch up to the retailer's standard cycle, it can look unusually large. Always check the billing period dates printed on the bill before comparing it to a "typical" bill.
One-off charges. A connection fee, disconnection/reconnection fee, or a special meter read fee may appear on the first bill only. These are charged once, not every cycle.
Estimated reads. If your meter was not read exactly on your move-in date, the retailer may estimate the split between the previous occupant's usage and yours, then true this up on a later bill once an actual read comes through. Bills based on an estimate are required to say so.
No prior usage history. Retailers cannot personalise cost estimates or catch unusual usage spikes for a new account the way they can for an established one, so it is worth checking your own usage against your household size using our usage estimator calculator.
Reading the bill: what each charge means
| Charge | What it means |
|---|---|
| Supply charge (daily) | A fixed fee charged per day you have an active connection, regardless of usage. Covers network access. |
| Usage charge (c/kWh) | The rate charged per unit of electricity you actually consumed, sometimes split into peak/off-peak/shoulder blocks on a time-of-use plan. |
| Feed-in tariff credit | Only applies if the property has solar. A credit for electricity your panels exported to the grid. |
| Connection/reconnection fee | A one-off charge if a technician visit was needed to energise the meter. |
| Concessions/rebates | State government concessions applied directly to the bill if you are eligible and have registered (see below). |
All residential energy prices quoted in Australia, including the Default Market Offer and Victorian Default Offer benchmarks, are GST-inclusive, so you should not see a separate GST line added on top of the advertised rate.
Our take on the first bill
Do not judge whether you got a good deal from the first bill alone. Between the pro-rata period, possible connection fee, and estimated reads, it is the least representative bill you will receive at this address. Wait for your second or third bill, which should reflect a normal cycle length and an actual read, then compare the effective daily cost against what our bill checker tool or usage estimator would predict for a household your size.
Moving-in checklist
Register for concessions. If you or someone in your household holds a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, or similar, check your state's energy concession scheme and register the new address. These are not applied automatically when you move.
Register life support if needed. Households with essential medical equipment can register with the retailer and distributor for advance outage notice and priority reconnection, at no cost.
Set up a payment method. Direct debit avoids missed payment fees, but check whether the plan offers a discount for direct debit or on-time payment, since some no longer do.
Check the cooling-off period. Under the National Energy Retail Rules, new market contracts come with a 10 business day cooling-off period during which you can withdraw without penalty. Use this window to double-check the plan suits you once you have the full contract terms in hand.
Photograph the meter on move-in day. This gives you your own record in case a dispute arises about which occupant used what.