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.
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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 currently costs $1381.60 but from 1 July 2026, this cost will come down to $260 as a result of an enquiry by the Australian Energy Regulator that found gas abolishment costs to be too high. If you can, wait until then!
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.
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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. Some people report getting around this cost by telling the retailer they want to temporarily pause their gas supply for renovations, and then never turning it back on. However you do it, make sure you check you aren’t still paying a daily connection fee.
To get Jemena to abolish your gas supply by removing it completely from your property is currently much more expensive, at over $1000. This cost is set to come down on July 1, 2026, to $260. Mark that day in your calendar!
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From a safety perspective, abolishing is generally considered safer as it removes all potential risks associated with having a pressurized 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’ve heard of some people turning off the gas themselves, but we recommend using a qualified professional for both capping and abolishing your gas connection.
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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.
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.
