Billing policies

We realise there are times when it may be difficult to pay your energy bill on time. If you find yourself in this situation, please contact us — we’re here to help.

We’ll do everything we can to keep you connected, and work out a payment solution with you. There are a number of ways we might be able to help you settle your bill, including:

• Arranging payment by regular instalments 
• Delaying the payment date for some or all of the amount due 
• Referring you to a registered community organisation for help 
• Providing you with information about free, independent financial counselling from a financial counsellor 

You can find further information in our Financial hardship policy [PDF 180kb].

Payment by instalments

If you’re having difficulty paying your energy bill, you can contact us about paying your account in instalments.
We may not be able to offer you an instalment plan if:

• In the past two accounts, you’ve had one or more previous instalment plans cancelled due to non-payment 
• You have previously been declared bankrupt, or have prior accounts still outstanding.

Unpaid accounts

If your power is disconnected because of non-payment, you’ll be charged an additional fee to reconnect the power supply. The reconnection fee will be added to your next bill.

We’ll only be able to restore your power, once you have:

• Paid all of the negotiated amounts owed including the reconnection fee, or 
• Agreed to a suitable repayment plan

You can prevent being disconnected and having to pay reconnection fees, by entering into an agreed repayment plan with us and meeting all the payment dates.

Transferring a debt from one account to another

If you’re a current Synergy account holder, with a payment outstanding from a previous property, we may transfer the amount owing to your current account. If the amount remains unpaid, your power supply could be disconnected at your current property.

Liability for charges

We set-up all energy accounts in the name of the person, or business accepting responsibility for all payments.

When a business is owned by an individual (or group of individuals), as opposed to a company, then the individuals are all jointly and severally liable for the energy account.

Responsibilities of owners and tenants

In situations where power is being used at a property without a current account holder, the law views the property as ‘owner occupied’. We’re obliged to bill the property owner for any power consumed.

We’ll attempt to back-bill the tenant, if the owner or agent can confirm the tenant's identity, and the dates of occupation with documentation such as a stamped lease agreement, bond lodgement form or a statutory declaration.
To prevent this situation, we suggest that landlords contact us immediately after a tenant has vacated, to make sure the account has been finalised and that power is no longer being consumed. The power supply to the property will be disconnected until a new tenant arrives. If you’re a landlord and you want power to stay connected for security or reticulation reasons, and the tenant has finalised their account, you’ll be responsible for any power usage until another tenant application is received.

Billing address

All energy bills are sent to the account holder, posted to their nominated address. If a postal address hasn’t been given to us, the bill is sent to the address that the power is actually supplied to.

When payment is due

Your Synergy bill will display a due date for payment. Full payment needs to be received by us, on or before this due date. If you’re having difficulties paying for any reason, please contact us so we can work out an alternative arrangement with you.

Additional fees may be charged if your bill isn’t fully paid by the due date. An overdue notice fee of $4.65 (GST is not applicable) may be charged for each reminder or disconnection notice sent for an overdue account. Business accounts with an individual outstanding amount of over $1,000 will also be charged interest.

Finalising your account

It’s the responsibility of the account holder to notify us five working days prior to vacating a property, to request their account be finalised. The account holder is responsible for all power consumption recorded up until the account is finalised.

If the final account for a property remains unpaid, Synergy may:

• Commence further recovery action including listing with Baycorp Advantage (Credit reference Association of Australia); or 
• Refer the account to an outside debt collection agency; or 
• Commence legal proceedings.