For the one in three Victorians who rent, and one in eight Victorian who live in an apartment, many benefits of clean energy are out of reach — because the rules weren’t designed for them.
Outdated rules, complex processes, and a lack of landlord incentives are stopping many Victorian renters and apartment residents from accessing the benefits of clean energy.
–
With a state election coming up, there’s a chance to fix this. Add your name and share your story to help push for fair access to affordable clean energy for everyone.
Across Victoria, solar is cutting power bills, heat pumps are replacing expensive old gas heaters, and all-electric homes are more comfortable and cheaper to run.
But for the one in three Victorians who rent, and the one in eight who live in an apartment, many benefits of clean energy are out of reach — because the rules weren’t designed for them.
Complex owners corporation processes. Gas networks you can’t leave. Rebate programs built for standalone houses. Landlords with no reason to make the changes that could slash your energy bills. Information that’s wrong, or just all together absent.
It’s wasted energy — in every sense.
With a state election this year, we can make sure the next Victorian government commits to solve these problems so everyone can benefit from affordable clean energy.
Add your name, and if you have a story – share it so we can show why it’s so important to fix these rules.
Click below to see the solutions we’re calling for, and scroll down to see (and vote on!) some of the stories that have been shared so far …
1. Strengthen the programs that are working: Fund and expand the programs already delivering for homeowners — the Solar Homes rebates, the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, and battery incentives — and extend them to reach renters and apartment dwellers who have so far been left out.
2. Roll out the improvements to rental energy standards that have already been promised: From March 2027, rental homes must have efficient insulation, draught-proofing, and efficient electric heating and hot water - saving renters hundreds of dollars a year on their bills. But these standards only commence after the election, which means every party must commit to seeing them through.
3. Get serious about solar and electrification for apartments: Incentive programs to date haven't delivered meaningful uptake for apartment blocks. Parties must commit to targeted strategies designed for apartments - clear targets, effective incentives – to address the growing energy divide.
4. Fix owners corporation rules to make sustainability upgrades easier: Sustainability upgrades in apartment buildings currently require a near-impossible 75% supermajority vote to proceed. That has to change - with lower thresholds for energy upgrades and better support for owners corporations navigating the process.
5. Make the Victorian Energy Upgrades program work for apartments: This program has shown it can work for apartments through its popular initiatives driving lighting upgrades in common areas. Now we need new activities specifically designed for shared rooftop solar, access to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and heat pump hot water in buildings of all sizes.
6. Give apartment residents a choice of energy providers: People trapped in ‘embedded’ networks can't switch gas and electricity providers, can't escape bills for gas they're no longer using, and can't access solar savings. The government needs to actively fix this - not wait for new buildings to gradually phase it out.
These are real experiences shared by renters and apartment owners across Victoria – the bureaucratic dead ends, the unanswered emails, the gas they’re still paying for. As you read through the stories you can vote for the best stories and show solidarity by clicking the facepalm emoji.
Our apartment in inner Melbourne was built in 2019, and before anyone moved in the developer awarded themselves a 15 year contract to supply all our energy through an embedded network. Residents get no say over price or anything else. When our gas hot water system broke down in 2024 the residents wanted it replaced with a more efficient heat pump system but another polluting and expensive gas system was installed. Our small solar system is not managed properly – its dirty and water pools on the panels – our energy suppliers dont care as we are forced to pay top price for electricity anyway.
I have been out to properties and found that the gas ducted heater in the roof was putting Carbon Monoxide into the house. The tenants were happy to have an air con installed instead but the rental contract said we had to replace like for like and I replaced the heater with another expensive gas guzzler. It was a lose lose situation for everyone.
I am too scared to ask the landlord to properly insulate my home (upgrade bathroom ‘ventiliation’ that is basically just holes in the wall; install double-glazed windows) or provide air conditioning, for fear they will increase rent.
Our apartments have internal gas hot water services. To electrify means replacing with a resistive electric water heater. There is no Solar Victoria , VEEC or STC support for such. Our residents would like to be able to charge EVs. However there is no support for the complex wiring to each parking spot that is required. Thus the fossil fuel vehicles will continue to be used. These are the two biggest barriers to electrification.
When the gas stove needed replacing in 2023 landlord agreed to an electric one (at that time Vic govt planned to make landlords move to electric appliances) but idea was dropped when landlords protested costs, so another gas stove was installed – discontinued model, last in warehouse and has some faults. Gas use is up 22% and unsure why.
I applied for a Solar for apartments grant through the Victorian government and Allume energy. We were accepted as qualifying, but unfortunately we couldn’t get the numbers to pass it through our BC meeting.
I’d love to have a battery and solar power but the rules/process are complex to the point of being incomprehensible. Ive got plenty of room on my balcony, and theres room on the buildings roof, but obtaining relevant approval is daunting and I have no idea how to begin and how to avoid being ripped off.
I live in a rural area, I already have solar panels installed on a farm shed roof, however they are not working, as a component as malfunctioned. All that is required is a part and a qualified serviceman to install it and I would have next to no power bills. My landlord has refused to pay the cost, as an aged pensioner, I cannot afford to pay it but I am forced to pay high power bills anyway.