Moving home in Australia: setting up your energy
What actually happens when you move in, and what to do about it — compiled August 2026.
Local area (default) retailer
There’s no automatic “deemed contract” — for an existing property with live supply, you must actively contact a retailer to open an account. A “local area retailer” only applies as the default for brand-new connections.
What to do
Find your NMI (National Metering Identifier, 10-11 digits) — on a previous bill or from the local network distributor.
Take a meter reading with a photo/timestamp on move-in day.
Use Energy Made Easy (the AER’s official comparison tool) to compare and sign up with a retailer before or immediately after moving.
For a brand-new/never-connected property, contact the local area retailer for first connection.
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