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Greater Western Water billing issues may have affected you. Click for more information or to raise a complaint.

Common complaints

Engagement Principles - How we work with you These principles explain how we engage with consumers, their representatives, and energy and water providers as part of our work.

View Fact sheet Engagement Principles - How we work with you

High energy bills Information to help residential customers understand why they may have received a bill that is higher than usual.

View Fact sheet High energy bills

High water bills Information about higher than expected water bills for residential customers.

View Fact sheet High water bills

Estimated bills Explains when and why bills are issued based on estimated meter readings.

View Fact sheet Estimated bills

Back-billing, refunds and lost payments Information about energy and water back-billing, refunds and the problems that can arise with payments.

View Fact sheet Back-billing, refunds and lost payments

Concessions and grants Do you have a concession card? You may be eligible for concessions on your electricity, gas and water bills.

View Fact sheet Concessions and grants

Energy payment difficulties Under the Victorian Energy Retail Code of Practice your retailer must help you manage your bills if you cannot pay them on time.

View Fact sheet Energy payment difficulties

Disconnection and restriction for debt This fact sheet will be help you understand your rights and responsibilities and the assistance which may be available to you.

View Fact sheet Disconnection and restriction for debt

Moving into transitional housing? Helping transitional housing tenants avoid energy and water hassles.

View Fact sheet Moving into transitional housing?

Solar feed-in tariffs Here are some answers to frequently asked questions relating to the solar approval and connection process.

View Fact sheet Solar feed-in tariffs

Energy service orders Why things can go wrong with energy service orders and the rules and timeframes that apply to different types of electricity and gas service orders.

View Fact sheet Energy service orders

Electricity, gas and water meters Explaining different meter types and how technology is changing.

View Fact sheet Electricity, gas and water meters

Energy marketing Your rights and the rules about door-to-door and telephone energy marketing.

View Fact sheet Energy marketing

Switching energy retailers and plans Information for if you're thinking of changing your energy company, or if you're contacted by an energy sales representative.

View Fact sheet Switching energy retailers and plans

Charges on water bills (metropolitan water corporations) Explains the main charges on the bills of residential water customers in Greater Metropolitan Melbourne - and how and when these charges are applied.

View Fact sheet Charges on water bills (metropolitan water corporations)

Charges on water bills (regional urban water corporations) Explains the main charges on the bills of regional water customers.

View Fact sheet Charges on water bills (regional urban water corporations)

Water licensing and EWOV Help with deciding where to lodge your complaint about water licensing.

View Fact sheet Water licensing and EWOV

EWOV for MPs Information for Victorian Members of Parliament and Electorate Officers.

View Fact sheet EWOV for MPs

EWOV and LPG The role of the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV) in handling cases about LPG (also known as bottled gas).

View Fact sheet EWOV and LPG

Bulk hot water Information for Victorian consumers about bulk hot water and answers to some frequently asked questions.

View Fact sheet Bulk hot water

Credit default listings and debt collection Information about energy and water credit default listings, the default listings process and debt collection activity.

View Fact sheet Credit default listings and debt collection

Planned and unplanned energy and water supply outages Information about energy and water supply outages and associated issues.

View Fact sheet Planned and unplanned energy and water supply outages

Acting on behalf of someone with an EWOV complaint This fact sheet explains how authorised representatives can act on behalf of customers with energy and water complaints.

View Fact sheet Acting on behalf of someone with an EWOV complaint

Moving in and out of a property What to do to get your energy and water accounts set-up and closed when moving in and out of a property.

View Fact sheet Moving in and out of a property

Saving energy at home How you heat and cool your home, heat water and use your fridge and freezer can bring down your energy bills.

View Fact sheet Saving energy at home

Embedded network basics Information about embedded networks, the rights of embedded network customers and how EWOV can help.

View Fact sheet Embedded network basics

Switching for consumers in embedded networks What to do if you are in an embedded network and want to switch providers.

View Fact sheet Switching for consumers in embedded networks

Water payment difficulties Your water company is required to tell you about the help available including payment options.

View Fact sheet Water payment difficulties

What is a best offer? A best offer is the cheapest generally available offer from your energy retailer compared to your current plan.

View Fact sheet What is a best offer?

Family Violence support Energy and water providers must offer assistance to consumers impacted by family violence.

View Fact sheet Family Violence support

Life support equipment Protections for Victorians with life support equipment.

View Fact sheet Life support equipment

Solar FAQs General Information about issues with solar, including the connection process and how to check your bill.

View Fact sheet Solar FAQs

Managing my energy account Now that EWOV has closed your case, we have referred you to a specialised team at your energy retailer to help you stay on top of things.

View Fact sheet Managing my energy account

Water in gas pipes Explains the reasons for water-related faults including what can happen when water gets into pipes, and what distributors are doing about it and what kind of compensation may be payable.

View Fact sheet Water in gas pipes

Cost of capital contribution Explains the payments made by customers who want to make a new connection to a distribution network.

View Fact sheet Cost of capital contribution

Service to property charges Explains the fixed charges for supplying electricity or gas to properties.

View Fact sheet Service to property charges

Automatic transfer to a new energy company On rare occasions, your electricity or gas company may stop operating due to financial or compliance problems and you’ll be automatically transferred to a new company.

View Fact sheet Automatic transfer to a new energy company

Privacy complaints This fact sheet provides information to help you understand when EWOV can take a privacy complaint.

View Fact sheet Privacy complaints

Land access complaint progression If either the landholder or the transmission company objects to EWOV's Fair and Reasonable Assessment (see our information on the investigation stage of the complaint process), we may progress the complaint to Recommendation.

View Fact sheet Land access complaint progression

Land access investigation stage If a landholder and a transmission company can’t resolve a complaint at the referral stage, we progress the complaint to the investigation stage. For more information about the referral stage, read our Land access referral stage fact sheet: ewov.com.au/fact-sheets/land-access-referral-stage.

View Fact sheet Land access investigation stage

Land access preliminary assessment If a complaint can’t be resolved at the referral stage, we progress the complaint to the investigation stage. For more information about the referral stage, read the Land access referral stage fact sheet: ewov.com.au/fact-sheets/land-access-referral-stage.

View Fact sheet Land access preliminary assessment

Land access referral stage How we raise land access complaints.

View Fact sheet Land access referral stage

Land access frequently asked questions Answers to your common questions about land access complaints.

View Fact sheet Land access frequently asked questions

Land access remedies and compensation In issuing a Fair and Reasonable Assessment, Recommendation or Final Decision, EWOV may consider whether it’s fair and reasonable that a transmission company pay monetary compensation for the loss suffered by a landholder as a direct result of the transmission company’s conduct. Other forms of remedy are also available to EWOV.

View Fact sheet Land access remedies and compensation

Obligations under the Land Access Code of Practice Electricity transmission companies have obligations under the Land Access Code of Practice (LACOP).

View Fact sheet Obligations under the Land Access Code of Practice

Land access roles and responsibilities There are many different entities who play a part in building transmission projects, regulating access or setting up Victoria’s policies and laws in relation to transmission. We summarise their roles and responsibilities below.

View Fact sheet Land access roles and responsibilities

List of Victorian transmission projects A list of Victorian transmission projects currently planned or underway in the state.

View Fact sheet List of Victorian transmission projects

Paying with bills of exchange/promissory notes For the purposes of our complaint handling process, we don't recognise bills of exchange or promissory notes as payment for an energy or water bill. You should use another payment method that is accepted by your provider to avoid the risk of debt collection, credit reporting, disconnection or other action. 

View Fact sheet Paying with bills of exchange/promissory notes