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Australian government - energy made easy: the power to compare

Salespeople

Salespeople from energy retailers might call you or knock on your door. There are laws about what they must and must not do.

They must:

  • tell you why they are contacting you
  • make sure you understand what you are agreeing to
  • let you know you can change your mind – this is called a cooling-off period
  • stop visiting you or calling you if you tell them to.

They must not:

  • be pushy
  • make promises that are not true
  • let you sign anything if they think you don't understand.

If a salesperson knocks on your door, they must show you identification that shows:

  • their name
  • who they work for.

If a salesperson telephones you, they must tell you:

  • their name
  • who they work for.

When can salespeople contact you?

Salespeople are not allowed to contact you whenever they want.

Salespeople can only knock on your door between:

  • 9 am and 6 pm from Monday to Friday
  • 9 am and 5 pm on Saturday.

They can only phone you between:

  • 9 am and 8 pm from Monday to Friday
  • 9 am and 5 pm on Saturday.

They must not knock on your door or phone you on:

  • Sundays
  • public holidays.

How can you tell salespeople to stop contacting you?

You have the right to tell energy retailers to stop contacting you by:

  • placing a Do Not Knock sticker at your front door or gate
  • telling an energy retailer or a salesperson to put you on its 'no contact' list
  • getting on the Australian Government's Do Not Call Register. To do this go to www.donotcall.gov.au or phone 1300 792 958.

How do I complain about salespeople?

To complain about a salesperson, try to write down:

  • their name
  • who they work for
  • the time and date they contacted you
  • what they said.

If you think that they were not honest, contact the:

The ACCC can't fix problems between you and a retailer, but can take action against energy retailers whose salespeople did not follow the law.

Tip

You don't have to sign up to a new energy plan straight away or tell a salesperson anything. You can think about a plan first. Ask the salesperson to come back another day.

You can also look on Energy Made Easy to see how the plan compares to others available in your area before you make up your mind.

How do I sign up to a plan?

You do not have to sign a piece of paper to sign up to an energy plan.

You can sign up:

  • over the telephone
  • online
  • face-to-face with a salesperson.

The retailer must give you written information about:

  • the price
  • terms and conditions.

Tip

If you agree to an energy plan, you can change your mind and pay nothing. You have 10 business days to tell the energy retailer. This is called a 'cooling-off period'.

If a salesperson from the energy retailer has not done all the right things, the cooling-off period could be longer, between 3 to 6 months.

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Last updated on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 2:31 PM