The standard terms that apply where you sign on to a Stake Energy market offer plan with Macarthur Energy Retail Pty Ltd, the retailer of record. Issued under Part 2, Division 2 of the National Energy Retail Rules. Applies to customers in Macarthur's supply area (NSW & SE QLD).
This contract is between Macarthur Energy Retail Pty Ltd (ACN 643 524 921), the holder of the relevant retailer authorisation issued by the Australian Energy Regulator ("we", "us", "our"), and the customer named in the energy plan ("you", "your"). Stake Energy Pty Ltd (ABN 62 677 963 683) acts as our authorised representative for the marketing, customer service and bill-presentment functions described in this contract. Macarthur supplies customers in NSW and SE QLD.
This contract sits under the National Energy Retail Law, the National Energy Retail Rules (NERR) and the Australian Consumer Law. Where any provision of this contract is inconsistent with that law, the law prevails.
The contract starts on the day you accept our market offer (online, in writing or over the phone with explicit informed consent recorded). You may cancel without penalty within 10 business days of accepting the offer (the "cooling-off period"). To cancel, contact us using any of the channels at the foot of this page. After the cooling-off period the contract remains in force for the contract term shown in your Energy Plan, unless ended earlier under clause 14.
We will arrange for energy to be supplied to your premises from the date your transfer is completed by your distributor or from the date specified in the Energy Plan. We are not responsible for the physical delivery of electricity, which is the responsibility of your distributor. Continuity and quality of supply are governed by your distributor's contract with you (the "Customer Connection Contract"), which is deemed to apply.
The prices for energy and related services, and any energy payment or credit payable to you, are set out in your Energy Plan and the related Basic Plan Information Document (BPID) and Detailed Plan Information Document (DPID). These documents explain the applicable prices, charges, energy payments and benefits, when they apply, and how they may change. Prices include any applicable goods and services tax (GST). The total amount payable consists of usage charges, supply (fixed) charges, demand charges (where applicable) and any other charge permitted by law and disclosed in your Energy Plan or our Fees and charges schedule. Where a concession or rebate applies, we will deduct it from the amount payable on each bill.
We will not charge fees prohibited by NERR rule 52A. Other than genuine network charges, we will not charge a fee for establishing your account, for a meter read used to start or end a customer retail contract, or for de-energising or re-energising your premises. Any other fee will be no more than a reasonable estimate of the cost to us of providing the service. The additional protections for customers experiencing payment difficulty, hardship or family violence are set out in clause 10.
Unconditional prices for our market offer plans are compared to the AER reference price for the relevant region on our Plans page, in line with section 22 of the Electricity Retail Code.
We may vary our tariffs, charges and energy payments only in accordance with your Energy Plan, this contract and applicable energy laws. For a market retail contract that is not a fixed price period contract, an increase to a tariff or charge, or a decrease in an energy payment, may take effect for you only on a single date within July. For a fixed price period contract, such a change may occur no more than once in each 12-month period beginning on the contract start date.
These timing restrictions do not apply where the change directly results from a tariff reassignment by your distributor, or to a tariff, charge or energy payment that continually varies with the prevailing spot price of energy. Any part of the same contract that does not continually vary with the spot price remains subject to the timing restrictions.
We will give you written notice before an increase to a tariff or charge, or a decrease in an energy payment, takes effect: at least 20 business days for a fixed price period contract and at least 5 business days for any other contract. The notice will identify the affected tariff, charge or energy payment, the old and new amounts, the date of effect and how the change may affect your bill. Where the law permits notice after a beneficial change or a distributor tariff reassignment, we will notify you as soon as practicable and no later than your next bill.
If your contract includes a benefit that changes or expires, we will give the notice required by the NERR. After the benefit change date, the energy rate charged under the contract will not be higher than our applicable standing offer price. Other terms of this contract may only be varied with your agreement, except where a change is required by law, in which case we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable.
We will issue you a bill at least every three months. Each bill will set out the period covered, your usage, the charges, any concessions or rebates applied, the amount due, the due date and how to pay. Bills are issued by email by default — paper bills are available on request at no charge.
If we under- or over-charge you we will correct the bill in accordance with NERR rules 31 and 32. Undercharging is recoverable for up to 9 months; overcharging is refundable for the period of the error.
You may pay your bill by direct debit, BPAY, credit/debit card, Centrepay, in person at any Australia Post outlet, or by post. BPAY is a commonly used and accessible payment method available free of charge. Other free methods and any permitted payment processing charges are listed in our Fees and charges schedule. Bill due dates are at least 13 business days after the issue date. If you cannot pay by the due date, please contact us before the due date — see clause 10 (Hardship) and our Hardship Policy.
We will arrange for the meter at your premises to be read at least once every 12 months. Where you have a smart meter, reads are obtained remotely. Where a meter cannot be read (e.g. it is locked, obstructed or there is no safe access) we may estimate your bill in accordance with NERR rule 21, and reconcile to actual reads at the next opportunity. You may submit your own meter read using the form in your account portal — see our Meter information page for instructions, accepted methods and the information you must provide.
Where a new or replacement meter is required, we will use reasonable endeavours to arrange installation within the timeframes set out in our Meter information page and in NERR rule 56C and the AER's Better Billing Guidelines.
You can ask us at any time and free of charge for: a copy of this contract, the latest version of our pricing schedule, an explanation of any charge on your bill, your meter read history, our Hardship Policy, our Complaints Policy, our Family Violence Policy, our Privacy Policy, our policy on the No Contact List, and information about concessions, grants and rebates available in your state. We will provide the information within 10 business days.
When you take up a plan, we will ask whether you may be eligible for a relevant government-funded energy rebate, concession or relief scheme, unless we know you are already receiving and will continue to receive one, or we asked you within the previous 30 days. If you are eligible, we will help you register and apply it to your account within the timeframe required by the relevant scheme. See Concessions & rebates for the current jurisdiction-specific information for NSW and SE QLD.
If you are having trouble paying, please contact us as early as possible. Residential customers are entitled to the protections in our AER-approved Hardship Policy. We will design a flexible payment arrangement with you, help you check your eligibility for concessions, and provide practical advice on reducing your bill. Other than genuine network charges, we will not charge any fee to a hardship customer, a residential customer experiencing payment difficulty, or a customer affected by family violence. Customers affected by family violence are entitled to the additional protections in our Family Violence Policy.
Disconnection is a last resort. We will not disconnect your supply for non-payment unless we have first complied with the steps in NERR rules 109–115, including issuing a reminder notice and a disconnection warning notice with the minimum statutory notice periods, attempting to contact you at least three times by at least two different methods, and offering payment assistance. We will not disconnect you if you are registered for life support, are participating in our hardship program and meeting your arrangements, have an unresolved complaint with us or with the energy ombudsman about the relevant amount, or on a Friday, weekend, public holiday, the day before a public holiday, or before 8.00 am or after 2.00 pm on any day.
Our liability is limited to the extent permitted by the Australian Consumer Law and the National Energy Retail Law. We are not responsible for matters that are the responsibility of your distributor (e.g. service interruptions, voltage fluctuations or damage from supply quality issues), except where these are caused by our negligence. Nothing in this contract excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.
We collect, use, store and disclose personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. By entering into this contract, you consent to our collection and use of personal information for the purposes described in that policy and the Privacy Act 1988.
You may end this contract at any time by giving us notice. Our current Fees and charges schedule does not impose a retailer exit fee. If an Energy Plan ever provides for an early-termination payment, it will apply only where permitted by law, will be disclosed before you enter the contract and will not exceed a reasonable estimate of our costs. It will not be charged to a hardship customer, a residential customer experiencing payment difficulty or a customer affected by family violence.
We may end this contract on at least 20 business days' written notice in the limited circumstances permitted by NERR rule 33 (e.g. you have failed to pay an amount that is overdue and have not entered into a payment plan, or you have given false information). We will not end the contract if you are participating in our hardship program and meeting your arrangements, are registered for life support, or have an unresolved complaint with the ombudsman about the matter.
This contract also ends if you transfer to another retailer or vacate the premises.
If you have a complaint, please contact us using the channels in our Complaints Policy. You may escalate at any time, free of charge, to your state energy ombudsman:
A printed copy of this contract is available free of charge on request.
