Utilities, Phone & Internet

What are you responsible for?

Where separate meters are provided, tenants are responsible for connection and usage of water, electricity and gas. Tenants are also responsible for connection and payment of the telephone.

The cost of gas, electricity and water is your landlord's responsibility if separate meters are not available at your property. Tenants are not responsible for water service charges or local council rates. The landlord is responsible for carrying out repairs to appliances, fixtures or fittings that supply water to the property.

The Tenants Union of Victoria (TUV) produces a range of useful online fact sheets, including one on the topic of Utility charges.

Concessions & Discounts

Health Care Card holders are eligible for discounts on certain utility bills and various other expenses. More information on Concessions & Discounts is available on the Student Financial Aid website.

Arranging Utility Connection

The tenants who previously lived in your new property should have disconnected utility services on their departure from the property.

To arrange connection, you should contact utility companies three days before you move in to your new property. This way you can ensure that services are connected when you arrive.

Be prepared to pay a connection fee in your first bill for the connection of services like telephone and electricity.

With deregulation of the utility markets you can shop around to find the provider that best meets your needs and budget. A list of companies is provided below for your convenience, however this is not an exhaustive list.

You may also wish to browse for other utility providers listed in the Yellow Pages directory.