Lumo Energy: how to leave, exit fees, price rises, moving house and complaints

Lumo Energy is a retail brand of Snowy Hydro Limited, the Commonwealth-owned generator that also owns Red Energy. Victorian customers contract with Lumo Energy Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 69 100 528 327) and South Australian customers with Lumo Energy (SA) Pty Ltd (ABN 61 114 356 697); the customer service centre is at 570 Church Street, Cremorne, Melbourne. Lumo sells electricity and gas in Victoria and South Australia only. This page draws on the market retail contract effective 9 November 2023, Lumo’s complaints policy, fee schedule and web pages, and the retail rules.

How to leave Lumo Energy

The simplest route is to sign up with another retailer and let it do the work. Clause 5.2 of the market retail contract says the agreement ends on the date your new retail contract starts and the other retailer becomes responsible for your address. Lumo sends a final bill.

If you have just joined, clause 4.3 gives you a cooling-off period of 10 business days starting the day after you receive the agreement, or longer where the rules say so. You can cancel verbally or in writing, even after accepting. If Lumo corrects a wrong assumption (meter type, usage, network tariff) with a revised offer, the cooling-off period restarts.

Our guide How to switch electricity retailer in Australia walks through the transfer.

Contract terms and exit fees

Lumo’s contract allows for two shapes: an ongoing agreement, or one with a fixed term set out in your Energy Supply Agreement Schedule. For a fixed term, clause 5.3 says Lumo must notify you between 40 and 20 business days before the end date. If you do nothing, supply continues under a standard retail contract at standing offer rates.

The contract contains no exit fee or early termination clause at all. Lumo’s South Australian fee schedule lists only distributor pass-through items such as special meter reads and disconnection at the meter, set by SA Power Networks or Australian Gas Networks. A plan-specific charge could still appear in your schedule or Basic Plan Information, so read it before you move.

Benefits are treated separately under clause 6.4. If Lumo changes or ends a benefit, SA customers must be told no earlier than 40 and no later than 20 business days beforehand; Victorian customers at least 5 business days beforehand. Our guide Benefit period ending or price change notice explains what to do with the letter.

Price changes: your rights

Clause 6.2 lets Lumo vary energy charges to reflect market conditions, cost increases, a reclassified meter or a changed network tariff. It must give written notice no later than 5 business days before the change applies, which is the national minimum set by the AEMC in 2019. Fixed energy charges in your schedule cannot be increased during their period except in narrow cases such as a meter change.

Lumo’s price change page sets out its calendar: market contract prices in Victoria change on 1 August and in South Australia on 1 July, and the page says prices change once a year. Clause 6.2(3) adds that you can end the agreement at any time, so a rise you do not like is answered by switching.

Moving house

Clause 5.1 asks you to notify Lumo that you are vacating and to give a forwarding address for the final bill. Online, log in to MyAccount and choose “Move out” to disconnect, or “Move home” to disconnect one address and connect another; the Lumo app does the same. If you cannot give at least one business day’s notice the move counts as urgent and you need to call 1300 115 866 before 12pm, Monday to Saturday. Disconnections are not available on weekends or public holidays, and distributor fees may apply.

Our guide Moving house: connecting electricity and gas covers what happens if you move in without a plan.

Contact and complaints

Call 1300 115 866, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday (8am to 5pm according to the contract, 9am to 5pm according to the complaints policy), e-mail info@lumoenergy.com.au, or write to Lumo Energy Australia Pty Ltd, PO Box 4136, East Richmond VIC 3121.

Under clause 19 Lumo must handle complaints within the timeframes in its complaint and dispute resolution policy and tell you the outcome. The policy promises acknowledgement within a reasonable time and internal escalation if you ask. If you remain dissatisfied, go to the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria on 1800 500 509 or the Energy and Water Ombudsman SA on 1800 665 565. Both are free, and the ombudsman can make a binding decision.

What to check before you switch

Read your Energy Supply Agreement Schedule for a fixed term, a fixed benefit period and any charge that is specific to your plan. Compare your rates with the Victorian Default Offer or the Default Market Offer printed on your bill; our guide to the DMO and VDO reference prices shows how. Victorian bills also carry a “best offer” message every three months, which is a free second opinion.

Then compare plans in the Australian energy comparison and set a price change reminder for the 1 July or 1 August date so the next notice does not slip past. Our page on reading your energy bill helps you check the final bill when it arrives.