REPS FAQs for obliged retailers and activity providers

FAQs for obliged retailers and activity providers

How do I identify if the premises has a DPID issued by Australia Post?

The reporting system under the REPS Code requires obliged energy retailers (obliged retailers) to record legitimate addresses by reference to a Delivery Point Identifier (DPID) issued by Australia Post.

Steps to follow to identify if the address has a DPID

Step 1: Login to the REPS-Retailer (REPS-R) Portal 

Step 2: Go to menu heading ‘Validation-Lodgement’ > ‘QAS Address Validation’ and then follow the prompts 

Step 3: If there is a DPID the ‘QAS Address Validation’ will give you the correct address format 

Step 4: Then copy and paste the address in ‘Transaction Eligibility – Single Address’ to verify if there has been a previous submission of activity at the address. 

Step 5: In the absence of a DPID, please refer to REPS Bulletin no.04 – Address without a Delivery Point Identifier.

What types of evidence can I use to demonstrate an address is valid?

Types of evidence that are required to be submitted to the Commission to help identify the premises’ eligibility
include the following:

• Map defining the area of the site. Useful mapping tools defining the area of the premises include: 
  o SA Property and Planning Atlas (SAPPA) and 
  o LocationSA
• Energy bills showing supply address and National Metering Identifier (NMI)
• Council Notice of Rates showing site address
• Lease document showing site address
• Geo-tagged photographs of the location and/or front of premises
• A current Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Company Extract, with full company or business details including the location of the premises
• Any other evidence that may assist

Please note, Google maps or business signs may not correspond with the Australia Post address database.

When do I use an address declaration?

In those cases where an address does not have a Delivery Point Identifier (DPID) and the address is not found using the REPS-R portal ‘QAS Address Validation’ function, the Commission will accept data files that contain addresses that have no DPID provided that the data line is identified with an Address Declaration in the REPS-R reporting template and a signed declaration relating to those addresses is provided by the obliged retailer. 

Appropriate signed declarations prepared in accordance with REPS Bulletin no. 4 – Address without a delivery point identifier must be provided to the Commission in accordance with REPS Bulletin no. 15 – Provision of signed declarations to the Commission.

The obliged retailer is responsible for providing sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the address is valid. 

For further clarification please contact the Commission by phone (08) 8389 8803 or email [email protected]

How do I upload, review and approve an address declaration?

Appropriate signed declarations prepared in accordance with REPS Bulletin no 4 – Address without a delivery point identifier must be provided to the Commission in accordance with REPS Bulletin no. 15 – Provision of signed declarations to the Commission.

Steps to follow when uploading and associating declarations to the REPS-R portal

Step 1: Go to menu heading ‘Declarations’ > ‘Upload attachment’ > and then follow prompts to upload address declaration (PDF)

Step 2: Once uploaded, retailers and activity providers may associate declarations with data lines by ticking the box in the column marked ‘Allocate’ and then selecting ‘Apply’.  

• Option 1: allocate declaration to whole file by choosing ‘Allocate’ then ‘Apply’ 
• Option 2: allocate declaration to specific row in the file by clicking on the file under the heading ‘file name’, select the specific row by choosing ‘Allocate’ then ‘Apply’

Step 3: Activity providers will only be able to view declarations they have uploaded while retailers will be able to view all declarations it has uploaded, and all declarations uploaded on its behalf by activity providers.

Step 4: The retailer must ‘approve’ the association in the REPS-R portal in ‘Document Review’ before the data line will change from ‘pending’ to ‘accepted’ status and become available for submission towards a target. 

Step 5: Where a retailer chooses to ‘reject’ the association of a declaration with data lines, those data lines will remain in ‘pending’ status but will become available for another declaration to be associated with it. 

For further assistance please contact the Commission by phone (08) 8389 8803 or email [email protected].

When do I use a compliance declaration?

For a commercial lighting upgrade (REPS activity code CL1), refer to Bulletin no. 13 Commercial lighting, Table 2 to assist in determining the type of declaration required. 

The obliged energy retailer is responsible for providing sufficient evidence to support the compliance declaration. 

For further clarification and for approval to use a compliance declaration, please contact the Commission by email [email protected].

What is the process to use a compliance declaration?

Step 1: Contact the Commission and request authority to use a compliance declaration for an activity. Sufficient evidence must be obtained by the obliged retailer to support the compliance declaration.

Step 2: The Commission will reply and if appropriate will authorise the obliged retailer or activity provider to use a compliance declaration. If authorisation is provided, this email must be converted to PDF format.  

Step 3: The obliged retailer or activity provider may submit the activity in the REPS-R portal with a compliance declaration. The reporting template must be completed with the declaration type ‘Compliance’.  

Step 4: The PDF email document is then attached to the email from the obliged retailer or activity provider, notifying the Commission that an activity has been submitted in the REPS-R portal with a compliance declaration.

Step 5: The Commission will then use the PDF email document as the compliance declaration and apply this to then allow the data to be available for submission.  

What is a priority group household?

Some REPS activities may require a minimum co-payment of $33 (including GST) to be paid once per premises. This co-payment does not apply to priority group households.

The Minister for Energy and Mining defines a priority group household as residential premises in which a person resides who:

• holds a Commonwealth Government pensioner concession card
• holds a TPI Gold Repatriation Health Card
• holds a War Widows Gold Repatriation Health Card
• holds a Gold Repatriation Health Card (EDA)
• holds a Health Care Card (including a Low-Income Health Care Card)
• receives the South Australian government energy bill concession
• has a residential tenancy agreement with the landlord of the premises and the rent for the premises is $400 or less per week
• is actively participating in an energy retailer hardship program
• is actively participating in an energy retailer’s payment plan (offered and applied as per section 50 of the National Energy Retail Law)
• has received a referral from a registered member of the South Australian Financial Counsellors Association (SAFCA).
  

Can REPS activities be delivered in government owned housing?

Public or community residential premises owned by the South Australian Government are only eligible to receive REPS activities where the recipient is a residential tenant, and the activity is not a standard service provided by the manager of the premises. Some REPS activities that are not considered to be a standard service include energy efficient lighting, water saving showerheads, standby power controllers and energy efficient appliances (at tenant’s expense only). 

Bulletin no. 12 - REPS activities in government owned housing, lists REPS activities not considered to be a standard service and may be delivered, subject to eligibility and any necessary landlord permission. 

If unsure of the ownership of a premises, title details are available to search using the SAILIS database from Land Services SA. 

REPS important dates to remember

Critical Dates (including, but not limited to)

REPS Contact details 

If you have any further questions, comments or feedback relating to the REPS, please contact the Commission by phone (08) 8389 8803 or email [email protected]. 

Consumer rights under the REPS

The REPS Code sets out minimum obligations aimed at protecting consumers. The REPS Code applies to everyone involved in delivering and marketing REPS activities. 

General conduct standards

REPS obliged retailers or activity providers must: 

•  comply with all applicable Commonwealth and State laws
•  explain why they are contacting the customer
•  not say things that are misleading, deceptive, or false 
•  not use high-pressure tactics, harass, or coerce to sell or market products or services
•  provide information that is truthful, complete and in plain language, and 
•  leave the premises immediately when asked.
  

Information provision

At the time of booking a REPS activity with the customer, an obliged retailer must:  

•  disclose the amount of any required co-payment payable for the proposed REPS activity.
  

Prior to any REPS activity being commenced, the obliged retailer must: 

•  provide the customer with the final total costs payable for the REPS activity (including, but not limited to any additional costs that may be applicable following a visit to the customer’s home or business), and
•  advise the customer of their right to not proceed with obtaining the REPS activity.

On or prior to the date of commencement of the REPS activity an information statement must be provided to the customer that sets out: 

•  the name and contact details of the person or business which performed the REPS activity
•  a description of the REPS activity undertaken in the customer’s home or business
•  notes that the REPS activity is intended to be counted towards an obliged retailer’s obligations under the REPS
•  how a customer may access the dispute resolution processes for any complaints regarding the REPS activity and provide the relevant contact details for those processes and
•  the amount of any required co-payment payable for the proposed REPS activity.

An obliged retailer must collect and record the information specified in Schedule 1 of the REPS Code, in relation to each energy productivity activity at the time the activity is performed including (but not limited to): 

•  Transaction Id
•  Transaction date
•  A signed statement from the installer certifying that the energy productivity activities have been undertaken in accordance with the minimum requirements of the REPS
•  A signed statement from the customer certifying that the energy productivity activities have been undertaken in the customer’s premises and that a copy of the REPS information statement has been left with the customer.

Identification

Each person conducting an energy productivity activity in a customer’s home or business for the purposes of the scheme must wear an identification badge containing:

• the person’s full name
•  a recent colour photograph of the person
•  the full name of the company that they are representing (including ABN), and
•  a current contact telephone number of the company that they are representing.
  

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