Electrical Defect Notice Rectification in Sydney
If a defect notice has arrived, the two things you want to know are how long you have and who can fix it. The short answers: read the date on your notice, because your notice governs, and only an ASP Level 2 contractor can clear most defects.
Brilliant Electric rectifies electrical defect notices right across Sydney, accredited and authorised on Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy. Send us a photo of the notice and we will tell you what is involved before anyone comes out.
- ASP Level 2: Ausgrid, Endeavour, Essential
- NSW Contractor Licence 381215C
- Established 2016
- Fully insured
- Phone answered straight away, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Saturday by appointment.
Call 0422 631 213 →
What a defect notice actually is.
A defect notice is not a warning letter. It is a formal direction from your electricity distributor, issued after an inspection, requiring you to rectify something unsafe or non-compliant in the connection between the network and your property. It names the defect, what is required to fix it, and a timeframe.
If the timeframe passes, the distributor has options that include entering the property and disconnecting supply. Those consequences are published, not implied, and they are set out below with the source.
The reassuring part is that most defects are ordinary work: a pole, a point of attachment, consumer mains, a meter enclosure, a switchboard. They are fixable, and the pathway is well defined.
You have 30 days to respond and 60 days to complete, not 21.
A number of Sydney electricians publish 21 days. That is not what the distributor publishes, and if you are planning around 21 days you may be making the problem harder than it is.
30days
To contact Ausgrid after receiving the notice
To confirm the work has been done, or will be done. You may also request that the property is disconnected within 30 days.
60days
To have the work completed, from the date the notice was issued
Where the property is on bush fire prone land, those timeframes are set by the Electricity Supply Act 1995.
Ausgrid’s published position is that the NSW Electricity Supply Act 1995 requires property owners to respond to defect notices within 30 days. You must contact Ausgrid within 30 days of receiving the notice to confirm the work has been done, or will be done, within 60 days of the date the notice was issued.
Endeavour Energy does not publish a single fixed period. Their guidance is that the notice explains what the defect is, what is required to rectify it, and the timeframe in which it should be completed.
So: read your notice. The date on it governs. If you are on Ausgrid and the notice is unclear, the 30 and 60 day framework is the published one.
What happens if the deadline passes
- If Ausgrid has not received confirmation within 30 days, they will make further attempts to contact the property owner
- If confirmation has not been received within 60 days of the notice being issued, Ausgrid may enter the property to rectify pole or wire defects
- Where Ausgrid carries out the work, they may recover the reasonable cost from the property owner
- Defects not repaired may result in supply being disconnected until repairs are safely completed. Ausgrid describes disconnection as a last resort
- Endeavour Energy states it may need to disconnect part or all of the power if an unsafe situation is detected and not rectified promptly, and that it has the right to rectify defects in bushfire prone areas and recoup costs where work is delayed
The disconnection power itself sits in the Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2014, under which a distributor may disconnect premises where it reasonably considers the installation is, or is likely to become, unsafe while connected.
We are not raising that to alarm you. We are raising it because doing nothing does not make the cost go away. It removes your control over it.
If cost is the problem, say so before the deadline passes
Ausgrid operates a Customer Assistance Framework and payment plans that may apply where owners have difficulty meeting the cost of required work. Endeavour Energy states that while customers are obligated to comply with defect notices, they may be able to assist in getting defects rectified with an affordable interest-free repayment plan.
There is no NSW rebate or subsidy for this work, and anyone telling you otherwise is mistaken. But assistance does exist, it is published, and it is worth a phone call to your distributor before the clock runs out. We also accept Afterpay and Klarna, which some customers use to spread a rectification across instalments.
Tenants and landlords
Both property owners and tenants are responsible for the safe maintenance and operation of electrical installations on their premises, and a notice is left at the property address. Complying with the direction in a defect notice is the property owner’s responsibility.
If you are renting, forward the notice to the owner, property manager or landlord as soon as you receive it, and follow up until it is resolved.
What our customers say.
What a defect notice can be issued for.
A defect notice is not one kind of problem. It can name any part of the connection between the network and your switchboard.
| What is named | What that usually means |
|---|---|
| Private power pole | Leaning, rotting, rusting, split or termite damaged. See our power pole replacement and installation page. |
| Point of attachment | The bracket or fitting where the service line meets the building is loose, damaged or too low. |
| Consumer mains | The cable from the point of attachment to your switchboard is undersized, deteriorated or an older type such as VIR. |
| Service line or overhead mains | Slack or frayed wires, insufficient clearance, missing or damaged spreaders. |
| Cross arms and pole-top fittings | Damaged or deteriorated fittings on the pole. |
| Meter enclosure or switchboard | Unsafe, deteriorated or non-compliant equipment. See our switchboard upgrades page. |
| Vegetation | Trees or branches too close to the powerlines. This must be cleared by a tree trimmer qualified to work around the network, which is a separate trade. |
Ausgrid lists the common defects it identifies as trees growing close to powerlines, wires that are touching, slack wires hanging loosely, rotting, rusting, split or leaning poles, frayed wires, damaged cross arms or pole fittings, and termite damaged poles.
It is common for a notice to name more than one item. An inspection that finds a deteriorated pole often finds deteriorated fittings and mains at the same time, because they are the same age. We scope the whole notice at once rather than returning three times.
Why a Level 2 ASP has to do this.
Almost everything a defect notice names sits on the network side of your installation, which places it inside the NSW Accredited Service Provider scheme.
Ausgrid’s own guidance directs property owners to the Department of Energy’s list of ASP Level 2 contractors for pole and wire defects, and states that any work on electrical equipment including power poles, lines and fittings must be carried out by a licensed electrical contractor.
Two separate things are required under the ASP Scheme Rules, and holding one is not holding the other: accreditation with the scheme, and authorisation by each individual distributor to work on their network. We hold both, across Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy. That matters here more than on any other page, because you do not get to choose which distributor issued your notice.
A general electrician has to bring a Level 2 in for that work, and marks it up on top of their own. We are the Level 2. Deal direct and there is one contractor and one margin.
Source: NSW Government, ASP scheme and contestable works. energy.nsw.gov.au
How we clear a defect notice. Send us a photo of the notice
Send us a photo of the notice
That is usually enough for us to tell you what is involved and roughly what it will cost, before anyone attends. It is quicker than describing it and it means we arrive knowing what we are looking at.
Site assessment
We confirm the defect, and check whether anything adjacent will need attention at the same time. Where the notice names a pole, we also tell you whether it can be repaired or has to be replaced, because those are very different jobs at very different prices and some notices are satisfied by a crossarm, conductor or insulator repair.
Written scope and price
Itemised, in writing, before anything starts. If the scope changes on site we tell you before we proceed, not after.
Rectification
Including disconnection and reconnection of the service at the connection point where the work requires it.
Certification and clearance
The Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work is lodged with Building Commission NSW through the eCert portal, no later than seven days after the electrical test. Where network service work was involved, the Notification of Service Work is lodged with Ausgrid through the Ausgrid Portal, since paper NOSW forms are no longer accepted. Where an emergency NOSW applies it must be submitted within two working days of completion.
The notice is not finished when the work is done. It is finished when the distributor has the paperwork. We handle that step.
What it costs to clear a defect notice.
What a defect notice costs to clear depends entirely on what it names. There is no single figure, and any electrician quoting one before reading your notice is guessing.
Our starting prices for the work a notice usually calls for:
| Work | From |
|---|---|
| Private power pole replacement | $1,500 |
| Overhead service replacement | $2,000 |
| Switchboard upgrade | $3,500 |
Send us a photo of the notice and we will tell you which of those you are looking at, and what else the site may need.
For an independent reference point, Ausgrid publishes indicative costs for common defect work: cross arm replacement $1,800 to $3,000, conductor retensioning $1,800 to $2,800, insulator replacement $1,500 to $2,500, installation of low voltage spreaders $1,200 to $1,800, and vegetation management from $560 for the first span. Ausgrid notes these are estimates only and exclude difficult access, specialised equipment, service searches, design, traffic control and rock excavation.
Those exclusions are worth reading twice, because they are the same items we quote separately. They are not an upsell. They are how this work is costed across the industry, including by the distributor itself.
What is included, and what is not.
Included
- Reading your notice and telling you what it requires
- Site assessment and confirmation of the defect
- Written itemised scope and price
- Rectification of the defects we are able to clear
- Disconnection and reconnection at the connection point where required
- CCEW lodgement through the eCert portal
- Notification of Service Work lodged with the distributor
- The documentation you need to close the notice out
Not included unless quoted
- Vegetation clearing, which requires a tree trimmer qualified to work around the electricity network
- Core holing, also called excavation through rock
- Asbestos meter panel removal, which we do in house at an additional cost
- Traffic control
- Testing and tagging, which is not a service we offer
- Landscaping or paving reinstatement beyond backfill
Our credentials.
Ausgrid’s own guidance sends people to the NSW Government ASP register. You can verify us on the list you were already pointed at.
- ASP Level 2, accredited and authorised with Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy
- NSW Electrical Contractor Licence 381215C
- Public liability and workers compensation insurance
- Member, National Electrical Contractors Association
- Established 2016, with a combined 20 years of trade experience across residential homes, warehouses, cafes and restaurants, and industrial premises
- Work carried out to AS/NZS 3000 and the NSW Service and Installation Rules
- Above 100 amps is our specialty. The distributor reviews every application at that level, and other electricians and other Level 2 contractors subcontract that work to us
- Warranty: 12 months on items and materials, lifetime on workmanship, provided no other contractor has worked on it since
What our customers say.
From our Google Business Profile, quoted as written.
★★★★★
“Our private pole collapsed and was disconnected by Ausgrid. Brilliant arrived within an hour of me calling them. Within several hours they got my power back on. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a Level 2 Electrician. Thanks again!”
Jenny L | Read on Google
Where we work.
Brilliant Electric works right across Sydney from a base at ASP Level 2 , 76-84 Karne St N, Riverwood NSW 2210. Most of our work sits in four areas.
- Marsfield
- West Ryde
- Denistone
- Meadowbank
- Macquarie Park
- Willoughby
- Artarmon
- Northbridge
- Lane Cove
- Roseville
- Coogee
- Kensington
- Kingsford
- Maroubra
- Clovelly
- Bexley
- Oatley
- Peakhurst
- Carlton
- Beverly Hills
- Kingsgrove
- Mortdale
- Penshurst
- Riverwood
We also work regularly through East Hills, Panania and Revesby in the Canterbury-Bankstown area, and out toward Liverpool.
Which distributor issued your notice matters
Almost all of that footprint is in Ausgrid’s distribution area: Ryde, Willoughby, Lane Cove, Ku-ring-gai, Randwick, Georges River, Bayside and Canterbury-Bankstown are all Ausgrid council areas. Liverpool is Endeavour Energy.
The two publish different guidance on timeframes and run different clearance processes, and the paperwork is not interchangeable. We are accredited and authorised on both, plus Essential Energy, so the notice on your kitchen bench does not need to be matched to a different contractor.
We confirm the network operator against Ausgrid’s network area check before quoting.
Frequently asked questions.
What is an electrical defect notice?
A formal direction from your electricity distributor, issued after an inspection, requiring you to rectify something unsafe or non-compliant in the connection between the network and your property. It names the defect, what is required, and a timeframe.
How long do I have to fix it?
Read the date on your notice, it governs. Ausgrid’s published framework is that you must respond within 30 days confirming the work is done or will be done, and the work must be completed within 60 days of the notice being issued. Where the property is on bush fire prone land those periods are set by the Electricity Supply Act 1995. The 21 day figure that appears on a number of electricians’ websites is not what Ausgrid publishes.
Will my power be disconnected?
It can be. Ausgrid states that defects not repaired may result in supply being disconnected until repairs are safely completed, and describes disconnection as a last resort. Endeavour Energy states it may disconnect part or all of the power where an unsafe situation is not rectified promptly. The power to do so sits in the Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2014. Acting early is what avoids it.
What if I do nothing?
After 60 days Ausgrid may enter the property to rectify pole or wire defects, and may recover the reasonable cost of that work from the property owner. Doing nothing does not make the cost go away. It removes your control over it.
Who pays?
The property owner. It is the property owner’s responsibility to arrange and pay for a qualified contractor to carry out the work in the required timeframe.
I am renting and the notice came to me. What do I do?
Forward it to the property owner, property manager or landlord as soon as possible and follow up until it is resolved. Both owners and tenants have responsibilities for the safe operation of electrical installations at the premises, but complying with the direction in the notice is the owner’s responsibility.
Is there a rebate or government assistance?
There is no NSW rebate for this work. There is assistance. Ausgrid operates a Customer Assistance Framework and payment plans, and Endeavour Energy states it may be able to assist with an interest-free repayment plan. Ask your distributor before the deadline passes.
How much will it cost to clear my defect notice?
It depends entirely on what the notice names, so there is no single figure. Our starting prices for the work a notice usually calls for are $1,500 for a private power pole replacement, $2,000 for an overhead service replacement and $3,500 for a switchboard upgrade. Ausgrid also publishes indicative ranges for smaller defect work, including $1,800 to $3,000 for a cross arm and $1,500 to $2,500 for an insulator. Send us a photo of the notice and we will tell you which one you are looking at.
Can my pole be repaired instead of replaced?
Sometimes. Crossarms, insulators, conductors and pole-top fittings can often be replaced on a structurally sound pole, and Ausgrid prices those repairs separately from a full replacement. It depends on the condition of the pole and what your notice specifies. We tell you at inspection, because it is usually the single biggest difference in what a notice ends up costing.
Can a regular electrician clear a defect notice?
Usually not. Most defects sit on the network side of the installation, which requires an ASP Level 2 contractor. Ausgrid directs property owners to the Department of Energy’s ASP Level 2 list for pole and wire defects.
Do you deal with the distributor for me?
Yes. The Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work is lodged with Building Commission NSW through the eCert portal no later than seven days after the electrical test, and the Notification of Service Work is lodged with Ausgrid through the Ausgrid Portal. The notice is not finished when the work is done. It is finished when the paperwork is lodged.
The notice mentions vegetation. Can you do that?
No. Vegetation near the network must be cleared by a tree trimmer qualified to work around the electricity network, which is a separate trade. We will tell you which parts of your notice we can clear and which need a tree contractor.
My notice names more than one thing. Is that normal?
Yes, it is common. An inspection that finds a deteriorated pole often finds deteriorated fittings and mains at the same time, because they are the same age. We scope the whole notice at once rather than returning three times.
Can you come out tonight or on the weekend?
No. We work business hours and we do not run a 24/7 or emergency service. A defect notice is urgent but it is not usually an emergency, because you have a published timeframe. If something is actively dangerous, such as a fallen wire, call 000 and then your distributor. Ausgrid’s emergency line is 13 13 88 and operates 24 hours a day.
Holding a defect notice?
Send it to us and we will read it with you. We will tell you what it actually requires, what it is likely to cost, and how long you really have, before you commit to anything.
0422 631 213
If a pole is down or a wire is on the ground, call 000 first, then Ausgrid on 13 13 88. That line operates 24 hours. We work business hours and do not run an emergency service.
Brilliant Electric ASP Level 2
ASP Level 2 , 76-84 Karne St N, Riverwood NSW 2210
0422 631 213
Office hours Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm. Saturday by appointment. For urgent concerns, call and we will tell you where you sit. We do not run a 24/7 emergency service. If a wire is down or a pole has fallen, call 000 and then Ausgrid on 13 13 88.
Accreditation
- ASP Level 2, accredited with Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy
- NSW Electrical Contractor Licence 381215C
- Public liability and workers compensation insured
- NECA member, established 2016
Our guarantee
12 months on items and materials, and a lifetime guarantee on our workmanship, provided no other contractor has worked on it since. During business hours we answer the phone straight away. How quickly we can get someone on site depends on the run that day, and we will tell you honestly when we book.
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