Electricity Customer Charter
Aurora’s customer service
Aurora’s service to you is provided in two important ways. Your electricity supply is delivered through a network of meters, poles and wires that is owned and maintained by our Distribution Business. Our customer-facing side of the business handles areas such as billing and customer enquiries and is called the Energy Business. We work together to meet our customer needs.
Aurora aims to ensure that you have a safe and reliable supply of electricity and a high level of customer service. If there is anything we can do to help, please contact us.
This is Aurora’s guarantee to you
This Charter includes customer service standards that detail our commitment to you and outline our penalties should we fail to deliver.
You will find our customer guarantees in the customer service guarantees section of this Charter, which includes the guarantees from the Aurora Distribution Customer Charter.
We also provide practical advice and useful information in this Charter.
This Charter should be read in conjunction with our Electricity Contract, which details the contractual relationship between Aurora Energy and you. Aurora PAY AS YOU GO customers should read this Charter in conjunction with our Aurora PAY AS YOU GO Terms and Conditions (PDF 275KB).
We’ll make every effort
Exceptional circumstances may prevent us from meeting your service request. These include when we cannot obtain access to your home or premises, storms, emergencies, major disruption to supplies, action by third parties (such as vandalism), or risks to safety. Although we cannot offer guarantees in these cases, we will make every effort to give you the best possible service. Any payments made in relation to our customer service standards are made without any admission of legal liability. Any fees normally payable by you (for example, connection fees) will still be payable.
Our customer service guarantees
The following customer service standards are backed up by guarantees. This means if we don’t meet the standards we will pay you the amount specified in the guarantee.
This is our customer commitment
We believe that every customer is important and they should receive the highest standard of customer service we can provide. As a result you can count on us to undertake the following as a minimum level of service:
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If we make an appointment with you, we aim to be on location at the appointed time. If we are going to be delayed by more than 15 minutes, we will contact you where possible and reschedule the appointment to another time agreed to by you.
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We will ensure that all our public areas are accessible to people with disabilities.
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We will provide for the needs of the visually and hearing impaired so they can have access to our services.
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We are committed to keeping your personal information confidential and will only disclose your personal information to another person if you have given valid consent, or if the disclosure is required by law for a legal investigation or for legal proceedings. View our Privacy Policy.
Our guarantee: If we do not meet the promises in our customer commitment, we will pay you $30.
Getting connected
If you need a new connection or your connection involves changes or extensions to the electricity network, you need to submit an application to Aurora (this includes solar connections). Connection application forms can be found on our website.
The Aurora Distribution Business aims to process your application within 10 business days and then complete your connection in a further 10 business days.
Basic connections
Where there is no agreed date, we will connect your newly constructed premises within 10 business days, provided that::
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an application for connection has been accepted
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we have clear access to our equipment
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the Aurora Distribution Business has been notified by the Aurora Energy Business and your licensed electrical contractor or builder that all is safe and ready to connect
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our distribution network does not need to be changed.
Alterations to the distribution network – modifications that require building poles and wires
We will connect your premises by an agreed date, provided that:
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an application for connection has been accepted
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the Aurora Distribution Business has been notified by the Aurora Energy Business and your licensed electrical contractor or builder that all is safe and ready to connect
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we have clear access.
Alterations to your installation
Where there is no agreed date, we will make alterations that you request at your premises within 10 business days, provided that:
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we have clear access to our equipment
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the Aurora Distribution Business has been notified by the Aurora Energy Business and your licensed electrical contractor or builder that all is safe and ready to connect
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our distribution network does not need to be changed as a result of the proposed installation alterations.
Where there is no agreed date, we will make the connection within 10 business days from acceptance of the service request by Aurora’s Distribution Business.
Reconnection
If you need to reconnect a disconnected premises and advise us prior to 3pm on any business day, we will connect you no later than the next business day, provided that:
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we have clear access to our equipment
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everything is electrically safe and meets relevant standards and regulations
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the reconnection does not involve any changes to the supply to your premises.
For a special fee, reconnection can be provided on the same day if you request it by 12pm, or the next business day if requested after 3pm, provided the above requirements are met.
Our guarantee: If we don’t meet our customer service standards for a connection, alterations to the distribution network, alterations to your installation or a reconnection, we will pay you $30 for each business day we are late, up to a maximum of $150.
Keeping you connected
Planned interruptions
If we plan an interruption to your supply and have not made specific arrangements with you, we will give you at least 4 business days’ written notice (or at least 5 business days if we have to use radio announcements, press advertisements or similar means).
If you let us know that a person at your address is dependent on a life support machine, we will give you at least 4 business days’ written or personal notice of a planned interruption to your power supply unless we agree otherwise with you. Call us on 13 2004 for more information on this service.
Please note that we do not supply generators to individual customers. We recommend that if your business is dependent upon a continuous supply of power, then you should consider installing an uninterruptible power supply device. Your electrical contractor should be able to advise on the most suitable option for a continuous supply of electricity during times of planned and unplanned interruptions.
Our guarantee: If we don’t meet our planned interruption promise, or if we fail to notify you if you are on our life support register, we will pay you $30.
Supply reliability and restoration
We aim to provide a reliable supply for all of our customers and timely restoration if your power does go out. Our system cannot notify us of all faults and in some cases we rely on our customers to report supply interruptions.
We keep track of all recorded interruptions, and you may be entitled to a payment should the interruptions exceed the limits for length and number of outages throughout the year. Any qualifying payment will be sent to you automatically. Our aim is to make any payment to you within 12 weeks of the qualifying interruption.
Further details in relation to this promise and the full terms and conditions are available on our website or by calling 1300 13 2003 (residential) or 1300 13 2045 (business).
Our guarantee: If interruptions to your supply exceed the limits set for duration or frequency, we will send you a minimum payment of $80, up to a maximum of $160 depending on the circumstances of the interruption.
Claims for loss or damage
If you suffer loss or damage to your property as a result of an event affecting your electricity supply, you may be eligible to make a claim. Claims can be made by filling out a claim form on our website or by calling us on 1300 13 2003.
We will acknowledge your claim within 5 business days of its receipt by the Supply Quality team. We will then investigate the circumstances of your situation and provide you with a written response once the investigation has been completed.
Our guarantee: If we do not acknowledge your claim within 5 business days of receipt, we will pay you $30.
Your property
Access to property
We require unrestricted access to our electrical equipment at all times. If we need to access your property we will carry official identification and produce it for your inspection.
When accessing your property, we will leave your property in the condition we found it (excluding any changes we have to make to the electrical equipment to ensure a safe and reliable supply). You can advise us of any special arrangements or requirements you may have concerning access to your premises or property by calling 1300 13 2003 (residential) or 1300 13 2045 (business).
Our guarantee: If we do not meet this promise, we will pay you $30.
Vegetation
We are responsible for maintaining minimum clearance for vegetation near our powerlines, which may include your trees overhanging our lines in the street, or trees that are within the clearance space on your property. You are responsible for keeping all trees and vegetation on your property away from our lines and equipment. For a comprehensive overview of customer responsibilities please visit our website.
Our guarantee: When carrying out vegetation clearing work, we will leave your property in the condition we found it (excluding any works we are required to carry out to ensure a safe and reliable supply). If we fail to meet this promise we will pay you $30.
Other ways we will serve you
Your bill
All Aurora customers (except those with Aurora PAY AS YOU GO meters) receive bills from Aurora. Your Aurora bill will give you the information you need to understand how much electricity you are using. We must send you a bill at least once every 3 months. For most customers, the bill is made up of:
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a charge for the electricity you have used
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a service charge, which covers the costs of serving you and maintaining your connection.
We aim to get your bill right every time. Should you detect that we have overcharged you due to our error, we will confirm it, correct it and then mail you a replacement bill within 10 business days of the confirmation (this does not apply to Aurora PAY AS YOU GO or estimated bills).
Our guarantee: If we don’t fix the problem with your bill and provide a written explanation within 10 business days, we will pay you $30.
Streetlighting
We operate and maintain the streetlighting system throughout Tasmania on behalf of councils and other government road authorities. Therefore, requests for additional lights or other lighting arrangements should be made to them directly. All streetlighting outages should be reported to us on 13 2004.
Once we have been advised of a defective streetlight in your street, we will replace it within 7 business days of notification of the fault.
Our guarantee: If you are the first person to report a streetlighting outage in your street and we don’t meet our promise, we will pay you $30 for each business day that we are late, up to a maximum of $150.
Making a claim under the Charter
We take our customer service standards seriously. If you feel we have not complied with our guaranteed service standards, and wish to request a payment to your account, please call us on 1800 80 0753. We will investigate your claim and send you a reply within 10 business days.
Our guarantee: If we don’t respond within 10 business days, we will pay you $30 in addition to other payments that may be due to you.
Practical advice and useful information
Feedback and complaints
We are committed to act on your comments. Call us on freecall 1800 80 0753 to provide feedback or lodge a complaint. If we cannot provide you with a response immediately, we will acknowledge the receipt of your enquiry and either return your call or send a written reply within 10 business days.
Should the matter not be resolved with us you have the right to refer any complaint to the Tasmanian Energy Ombudsman on1800 001 170. The Ombudsman provides a free independent complaints resolution service.
Privacy policy
Aurora values your privacy and complies with all relevant privacy legislation in relation to your personal information. We will only collect personal information that is necessary for us to conduct our normal business. We will ensure that the information we keep is accurate, complete and secure. Aurora may only disclose your personal information to other parties in accordance with the Personal Information and Protection Act 2004. View more information on our Privacy Policy.
What should I do if there is a power interruption?
If you lose supply but notice that your neighbours still have power, check your fuses or circuit breakers. If everything seems to be in order, call Aurora’s 24-hour emergencies and faults line on 13 2004, which will also provide up-to-date information on power interruptions. We will do everything possible to safely restore your supply quickly. Even when we are experiencing widespread interruptions, our aim is to get your power back on as quickly as possible after notification. In major emergencies or widespread interruptions, we will broadcast public information on ABC local radio.
Your responsibility for your property
You are responsible for maintaining your private poles and private powerlines and to control vegetation in the vicinity of private overhead powerlines and around the base of private poles. You are also responsible for all poles or other supports carrying electricity lines beyond the metering position.
Aurora Preferred Suppliers
Aurora has a number of Preferred Suppliers who specialise in heating, cooling, gas installations, renewable technologies and hot water. All have been accredited under Aurora’s Preferred Supplier standards and operate under the AOK Guarantee. Viewmore information on Aurora Preferred Suppliers.
Moving in our moving out?
We want to help make your move as easy and straightforward as possible, and recommend you arrange for disconnection and reconnection of electricity about two weeks before you move.
You can do this with Aurora Online or by calling 1300 13 2003 (residential) or 1300 13 2045 (business). Our website also has a handy moving checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Aurora Online
With Aurora Online you can manage your account 24/7, compare your electricity use, predict your next bill, check your next meter reading date, pay your bill online and organise a connection and disconnection. Register for Aurora Online.
Understanding your bill
Having trouble understanding your bill? We have a fact sheet that provides an overview of how to read your bill using a sample Aurora bill. Visit the bills and payments section of our website.
Your payment options
You will find the full range of payment options on the back of your bill. You can minimise the impact of your bill by paying small amounts regularly. Here are some convenient ways to make regular payments:
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Direct Debit
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electronically with a credit or debit card on our website
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BPAY or internet banking with your financial institution
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EasyPay
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Centrepay.
For more information about any of these options or if you are having difficulty paying a bill, we can help – visit our payment section on the website or call 1300 13 2003 (residential) or 1300 13 2045 (business).
Discounts and concessions
You can apply to receive a discount on your bill if you have a Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans Affairs, or have a Centrelink Health Care Card. If you haven’t done so, you can register for this concession bycompleting the Pensioner and Health Care Card Discount Application on our website or by calling 1300 13 2003 (residential) or1300 13 2045 (business).
Energy saving advice
There are a number of things you can do around your home or business to help save energy and money throughout the year. We have a range of hints and tips on our website www.auroraenergy.com.au, and you can order a copy of our Energy Saving Guide online or by calling 1300 13 2003 (residential) or 1300 13 2045 (business).