Keys, electricity, telephone

The department does not keep a spare set of keys to your home. You are given the only copies at sign-up.

Should you lose your keys, you must replace them at your own cost.

Remember: have a spare set of keys cut for your home and keep them in a safe place.

Electricity

You are responsible for the cost of connection and any electricity costs incurred during your tenancy.

You are also responsible for maintaining the connection of electricity to the property - this is required under the State Tenancy Agreement.

If you are experiencing difficulties paying your electricity account during your tenancy, you may be eligible for:

• A rebate on the cost of electricity if you hold a concession card.
• The Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme, which helps eligible customers who have an inability to self-regulate body temperature wit their electricity cost
• the Home Energy emergency Assistance Scheme - one-off emergency assistance due to a financial crisis - through your electricity retailer.

If you do experience difficulty paying your electricity account, it is important to contact your electricity retailer as soon as possible or contact your nearest Housing Service Centre. The department may take action if you fail to keep your electricity connected during your tenancy.

Telephone

You are responsible for the cost of connection and any telephone costs incurred during your tenancy.

What if my home has never had a telephone connected before?

If you move into a home where a telephone service is available but has never been connected, you can ask the department to pay this connection cost. This only applies if you have to pay the new higher telephone service connection fee because the telephone has not been connected at your home before. Please contact your nearest Housing Service Centre.

Note: You are responsible for the cost of having your phone re-connected or a second telephone line connected to a home where a telephone is already in use.