Victorian Current Acts

GAS INDUSTRY ACT 2001 - SECT 48DR

    (1)     Subject to section 48DU, a gas retailer, or an exempt gas seller specified under an applicable Code for the purposes of this section, may arrange for the supply of gas at a relevant customer's premises to be disconnected if—

        (a)     the relevant customer does not allow access to the customer's premises for the reading of the meter at the premises for 3 consecutive scheduled meter readings; and

        (b)     at the time of each of those scheduled meter readings, the gas retailer or exempt gas seller took all reasonable steps to contact the relevant customer in one or more of the following ways to make alternative arrangements to access the customer's premises—

              (i)     in person;

              (ii)     by telephone;

              (iii)     by electronic communication; and

        (c)     the gas retailer or exempt gas seller, on each of the occasions access is denied, arranges for the relevant customer to be given a notice in accordance with any requirements under an applicable Code (an access request notice )—

              (i)     requesting access to the meter; and

              (ii)     advising of the gas retailer's or exempt gas seller' ability to arrange for disconnection of the supply of gas at the customer's premises; and

        (d)     no earlier than 5 business days after the third access request notice is given to the relevant customer, the gas retailer or exempt gas seller, in accordance with any requirements under an applicable Code, gives the relevant customer an intention to disconnect notice; and

        (e)     after the expiry of the period specified in the intention to disconnect notice, the gas retailer or exempt gas seller, in accordance with any requirements under an applicable Code, gives the relevant customer a disconnection warning notice; and

        (f)     after the expiry of the period specified in the disconnection warning notice, the relevant customer does not give the gas retailer or exempt gas seller access to the customer's premises to read the meter.

    (2)     The period specified in an intention to disconnect notice and a disconnection warning notice must be not less than the period specified under an applicable Code.

S. 48DS inserted by No. 28/2021 s. 23 (as amended by No. 41/2021 ss 107–116).