Disconnect your Gas
If you have removed all the gas appliances from your home, you should disconnect the gas to avoid paying the daily gas use charge.
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1. No longer using gas?
Contact your gas retailer and tell them you want to close your account. Ask them to shut off the gas at the "stopcock" or "service shut-off valve" near the meter. You might be charged a small fee for this, which will show up on your final bill. This is usually between $70-$130.
If you want to permanently remove your gas connection, you should apply for a ‘gas abolishment’ through your gas retailer.
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2. Still getting mail?
If you receive letters addressed to “The Occupier” from gas companies, you can ignore them. This usually happens when your gas meter is still connected, but you don’t have an active account. If you’ve closed your account, you don’t need to worry.
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3. Want the gas fully removed?
To completely remove the gas meter and the pipe going to your property, you need to apply for an "abolishment" through your gas retailer. A technician from Jemena (the gas distributor) will then come out to safely remove the meter and cut off the gas from the main supply. This should cost around $250.
FAQ
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The main difference between capping and abolishing a gas service is that capping is a temporary disconnection, while abolishing is a permanent disconnection. Capping involves shutting off the gas supply at the meter, while abolishing involves removing the gas meter and disconnecting the gas line from the main service line, usually at the street. Gas abolishment is the safest option.
Note: If you plan to abolish your gas connection, keep your gas account open until you request a gas abolishment. Some gas retailers (eg. Origin) require you to have an open gas account to request an abolishment, and will make you pay to re-open it if you have already closed it.
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To cap your gas supply, contact your gas retailer and ask how much it costs. It is likely they will quote something between $70 and $130.
To get Jemena to abolish your gas supply by removing it completely from your property, apply for via your gas retailer. It should cost around $250.
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From a safety perspective, abolishing is considered safer as it removes all potential risks associated with having a pressurised gas line on the property. While capping is less drastic, it still leaves a pressurised gas line, which could be a potential hazard if you accidentally hit it with a shovel (while digging in the garden for example). We recommend using a qualified professional (a licensed gas fitter) for both capping and abolishing your gas connection.
For more information about your options to disconnect or abolish your gas connection, please visit the Jemena website.
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If you feel you are being taken for a ride or treated unfairly, contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON). They can help resolves disputes with your energy retailer or gas supplier.
We’ve heard good feedback about EWON and how quickly they resolved disputes about final gas readings and unfair charges.
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If you’ve made big changes at home, such as installing electric hot water, AC and an induction cooktop, let your gas retailer know and request a meter read as soon as possible. This saves confusion and potential bill shock.
If the meter reader doesn’t come soon after you electrify, your supplier will often apply assumed usage based on your old gas habit. This gets corrected later once an actual read is taken… but the ‘assumed’ bill can look scary in the meantime. Also, you don’t want to be paying for a gas connection when you’re not even using the gas.
Let us know when you’re gas free!
If you’ve disconnected your gas, we’d love to hear about it! It will help us collect data and stories about people that have gotten off gas for good.
