Skip to Content
Family & Community Services home

Centralised Gas Hot Water Service Reimbursement Scheme Fact Sheet

Last published 30 Aug 2023

Information to Claim for Gas Usage

Content on this page

Scheme overview

From February 2022, Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) begun issuing reimbursements to eligible social housing tenants for gas usage costs associated with hot water usage if they lived, or have previously lived, in a social housing property with a centralised gas hot water service during the period 22 March 2014 to 22 March 2020.

The reimbursement of gas usage costs for hot water usage follows a decision by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal which determined that LAHC, as the landlord, was responsible for the cost of gas used to heat hot water supplied from centralised gas hot water services up until 22 March 2020. On 23 March 2020, the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 was amended to confirm that social housing residents are responsible for gas charges for centralised gas hot water systems.

The reimbursement period under this scheme is a maximum of 6 years, from 22 March 2014 until 22 March 2020.

What is a centralised gas hot water service?

A centralised gas hot water service (also known as a common or communal hot water system) supplies hot water to all units in a building. It generally consists of hot water heaters, with a pump(s) to circulate hot water through a central piping loop throughout the building to individual units. Each unit has its own individual hot water meter that measures the amount of hot water supplied to the unit.

Who can apply?

The head tenant (person who signed the tenancy agreement) can submit an application if they lived in a social housing property with a centralised gas hot water system between 22 March 2014 to 22 March 2020. Applications will also be accepted from registered household members who resided at the premises where a centralised gas hot water system operated and who had the gas account for the premises in their name.

Claims for reimbursement must be made prior to 30 June 2024.

How can I find out if my property used a centralised gas hot water service?

You can check your account invoices from your gas retailer and if they include a conversion factor, pressure factor or common factor, and hot water meter readings, then your building is serviced by a centralised gas hot water system.

If your unit does not have an individual hot water system, or you are unable to determine from your gas accounts whether you receive hot water from a centralised gas hot water system, please contact your local Housing office to confirm if you are entitled to receive a reimbursement.

How much reimbursement will I receive?

If you are able to provide copies of actual gas bills you received and paid between 22 March 2014 and 22 March 2020, you will be reimbursed for your actual gas usage costs for hot water usage.

If you are unable to obtain past gas bills from your gas retailer(s), LAHC will offer a reimbursement amount based on gas usage data provided by the gas network owner.

If your tenancy start date was after 22 March 2014, the reimbursement amount will calculate from the start date of your tenancy until 22 March 2020.

Claims received after the 3 month grace period, as explained in the Terms and Conditions on page 4 of the application form, will not be reimbursed for the full 6 year period (if you held a tenancy for the full period March 2014 – March 2020).

What if other appliances in the property use gas?

Any other appliances, such as a gas stove or heater are not covered by the Centralised Gas Hot Water Reimbursement Scheme.

Reimbursement is only in relation to centralised gas hot water systems.

If you have more than 1 gas appliance you will not be reimbursed for gas supply charges.

Once your application has been assessed, you will receive a letter of offer confirming that you are eligible to receive compensation under this scheme and the compensation amount.

You will be requested to sign the letter of offer, provide your bank account details and agree to certain terms and conditions.

Payment can only be made by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) into the bank account you nominate. Current or former tenants cannot request that the funds be credited to their rent or other tenancy accounts.

How to apply

The application form is available at;

  • online at www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/living
    • under the Repairs, modifications and maintenance to a property region > Centralised gas hot water service reimbursement scheme
  • by calling us on (02) 9384 4154
  • at local DCJ housing offices
  • at your community housing provider office.

Your application must be submitted with the required additional evidence detailed on the application form.

You can obtain copies of your gas bills between the period 22 March 2014 and 22 March 2020 to support your application by contacting your gas retailer(s). Contact details for major gas retailers are provided below:

  • AGL telephone 13 12 45
  • Energy Australia telephone 13 34 66
  • Origin telephone 13 24 61
  • Alinta Energy telephone 13 37 02
  • Red Energy telephone 13 18 06
  • Dodo Power & Gas telephone 1300 748 704

Completed applications should be submitted by email to gasreimbursements@facs.nsw.gov.au or by mail to Locked Bag 5022, PARRAMATTA NSW 2124.

Alternatively, you can return the completed application form to your local DCJ Housing office or community housing provider office.

What happens then?

We will acknowledge receipt of your application, and advise you of any additional information required to support your claim within 10 business days.

Once all the required documentation has been received the application is expected to be assessed as soon as possible.

If the amount of reimbursement is accepted, payments will be made into your nominated bank account within 28 business days.

Once the reimbursement is paid by LAHC no further claims will be considered.

What if I don’t accept the reimbursement amount?

Once you have received an offer of reimbursement, you can request a review in writing within 30 days of the offer that includes why you consider the amount unfair or unreasonable. Review requests should be submitted by email to gasreimbursements@facs.nsw.gov.au or by mail to Locked Bag 5022, PARRAMATTA NSW 2124.

Following a review, any disputes on the amount offered as a reimbursement by LAHC will be referred to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to determine.

More information

For more information refer to www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing

If you have any queries, contact the Centralised Gas Hot Water Service Reimbursement Team on (02) 9384 4154 or at gasreimbursements@facs.nsw.gov.au

Was this content useful?
Your rating will help us improve the website.
Last updated: 21 Sep 2023