In short
An Ausgrid defect notice means an inspection found electrical work at your property that does not meet the Wiring Rules, the Service and Installation Rules of NSW or Ausgrid's standards. Ausgrid may disconnect supply if a defect is not repaired within 21 days of the notice; an extension may be negotiable, depending on how serious the defect is. The owner engages the contractor or Accredited Service Provider who did the original work or, failing that, an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2). Tenants forward the notice to the owner. Peter offers an $80 remote inspection from your photos.
Want it looked at first? Peter can assess a defect notice from your photos: see Ausgrid defect notices and who may fix them.
What is an Ausgrid defect notice?
Ausgrid inspects properties across its network to check that the connection between the street and each building is safe and compliant. It treats as a defect any electrical installation or service installation work that does not comply with AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules), the Service and Installation Rules of NSW, or Ausgrid's requirements and network standards that applied when the work was done. When it finds one, it notifies the property owner with a defect notice.
Ausgrid has the authority to disconnect a property it considers unsafe, so a notice is not something to leave in a drawer.
What are the most common defects?
- Point of attachment problems: a non-compliant bracket, no safe access to it, or a shared attachment
- Service mains that are too low over a driveway or road, or that cross a neighbour's property
- Service or consumer mains damaged by storms, fallen or overgrown trees, or weathering from UV
- Undersized cable from the street pole to the premises
- Old kilowatt-hour meters, meter panels or enclosures containing asbestos
- Service fuses that need replacing
- No meter protection devices, which each tenancy needs so power can be isolated when old meters are upgraded to smart meters
- A private pole that is corroded, unstable or poorly connected
Who has to fix it: me, my original electrician, or a Level 2 ASP?
The property owner is responsible for getting it fixed. Ausgrid says to engage the licensed electrical contractor or Accredited Service Provider (ASP) who carried out the original work or, if they are not available, a licensed ASP Level 2. Work on the network side of your installation, including the service line, the point of attachment, service fuses and metering, is Level 2 work that a general electrician is not accredited to do, however experienced.
You can check whether a provider holds Level 2 accreditation on the NSW Government's ASP search. Ausgrid's page links NSW Climate and Energy Action's list of Level 2 providers.
| Problem | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Fire, or someone injured or still in contact with electricity | 000 first |
| Fallen powerlines | Stay at least 8 metres away, then call Ausgrid on 13 13 88 (000 if a life is at risk) |
| The whole street is out, or the neighbours are too | Ausgrid on 13 13 88, 24 hours, or its live outage map |
| An Ausgrid defect notice for the service line, point of attachment or meter panel | The electrical contractor or Accredited Service Provider who did the work, or an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2) |
| Anything from the main switch inward: switchboard, wiring, power points, lights, appliances | A licensed electrician |
Source: Ausgrid: In an emergency; Ausgrid: Safety defects; Ausgrid: Outages and the live outage map.
How long do I have, and can I get more time?
Ausgrid may disconnect supply if a defect is not repaired within 21 days of the notice; an extension may be negotiable, depending on how serious the defect is. To ask for more time, Ausgrid's advice is to contact its Field Operations group to discuss your options.
If supply is disconnected, it stays off until the repair meets safety and service standards.
What fees can apply?
Two fees are mentioned on Ausgrid's page. If supply has been disconnected, a fee may apply to reconnect it to the pole. A re-inspection fee covers the cost of sending an authorised network representative to inspect the installation once it is repaired; if a contractor caused the defect, Ausgrid charges that fee to the contractor.
Ask Ausgrid for the current amounts: this guide does not quote them.
I'm renting. Is it my problem?
The repair is the owner's to arrange, but the tenant has a job too. Ausgrid's advice is to forward the notice to the property owner or landlord as soon as possible, and to follow up until the matter is resolved, because the power to the home you live in is what is at risk.
Which parts of the connection are mine?
Everything from the first point of connection on the property is the customer's electrical installation, Ausgrid says, and the customer is responsible for keeping it safe and properly maintained. The first point of connection is usually a private pole or the point of attachment on the building.
That makes the owner responsible for any private poles, overhead powerlines and pole-top fittings on the property through to the switchboard or meter, and for keeping trees whose trunks are within the property boundary clear of them. Ausgrid maintains its own network in the street.
Inspections: remote or on site
For recently built or renovated premises, Ambient offers a remote inspection. You upload photos of your installation, Peter assesses whether it is compliant and what is required, and you receive a written report by email with instructions on what to do next. It costs $80.
- A comprehensive site inspection covers the meter panel and wiring
- Physical connections
- The electricity supply and earth continuity
- Phase rotation on three-phase supply, and the neutral supply
- Private poles, checked for corrosion, stability and connections
Get quotes
After the inspection, get the work quoted by accredited Level 2 providers. The report is yours either way.
Sources
- Ausgrid: Safety defects
- Ausgrid: Private poles and powerlines
- NSW Government: Find an Accredited Service Provider (ASP search)
- NSW Climate and Energy Action: Installing or altering electricity supply to your property
- NSW Government: ASP scheme and contestable works
Ambient Electrical is an electrician in Vaucluse, Rose Bay and Watsons Bay, and works across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
