What to Do If You Receive an Electrical Defect Notice: A Guide by ENE Services

Receiving an electrical defect notice from Endeavour Energy can be a stressful experience, but it’s important to understand what this notice means and how to address it promptly. At ENE Services, we prioritize safety, quality, and customer satisfaction, and we’re here to guide you through the process of resolving any electrical defects to ensure your property remains safe and compliant.

What Is an Electrical Defect Notice?

An electrical defect notice is issued when your property’s connection to the electricity network fails to meet safety standards. These notices are typically issued by energy providers like Endeavour Energy, following an inspection. Common reasons for receiving such a notice include:

• Faulty Wiring: This could be due to aging infrastructure, improper installations, or recent alterations to your electrical system.
• Aging Timber: Older timber poles eventually succumb to rotting and degradation due to age, risking their stability and potentially leading to dangerous situations if they are not replaced or maintained.
• Obstructions: Trees or branches that have grown too close to power lines on your property can pose a serious safety risk.
• Non-compliant Installations: Any electrical work that does not comply with current safety standards may trigger a defect notice.

If you receive a defect notice, it’s crucial to act quickly. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Don’t Panic—Understand the Notice

The first thing to do when you receive a defect notice is to carefully read and understand it. The notice will typically outline the specific issues identified during the inspection. This paperwork will also include pictures and basic diagrams to indicate what the fault is and where it is located. If you’re unsure of any details, you can contact the company which issued the notice.

Step 2: Act Quickly—Time Is of the Essence

You usually have 21 days from the date of the notice to rectify the issues. If the defects are not corrected within this time frame, Endeavour Energy may disconnect your electricity supply until the necessary repairs are made. Being without power is not only a significant inconvenience, but it can create its own safety risks, so it’s essential to address the problem as soon as possible. It’s important to keep in mind that electricians may not be able to attend to your issue immediately, so it’s crucial to contact a Level 2 electrician as soon as possible to secure an appointment.

If you’re renting, notify your landlord immediately upon receiving a defect notice. The landlord is typically responsible for arranging and paying for any necessary repairs. Provide them with a copy of the notice and encourage them to act quickly to avoid any disruption to your electricity supply.

Step 3: Contact a Level 2 Electrician

Not all electricians are qualified to fix the issues outlined in an electrical defect notice, as typically power supply from the street needs to be disconnected before repairs can be carried out. Grid power can only be disconnected by a Level 2 electrician, so to ensure the work is done correctly and meets all safety standards, you’ll need to engage a Level 2 Authorised Service Provider (ASP), like ENE Services.

A Level 2 Electrician is specially licensed to work on connections between your property and the main electrical grid. This includes tasks such as:

• Defect Rectifications: Prompt and compliant fixes for defects issued by Endeavour Energy.
• Disconnection and Reconnection: Safe and professional services for disconnecting and reconnecting power.
• Power Supply Upgrades: Enhancing your property’s electrical capacity to meet increased demands.
• Overhead and Underground Services: Installation and maintenance of service lines.

When booking in with a Level 2 electrician, you’ll need to provide them with a copy of the defect notice so they have the correct information for rectification work and can prepare for the work with the correct equipment. Your Level 2 will also submit evidence of the rectification work to Endeavour when the job is completed.

Step 4: Prepare for Repair Work

In anticipation of the rectification work being completed, it’s important to know that your power supply will be temporarily disconnected. While repairs are typically completed within a few hours and power disconnection should not last any longer than a day, there are some steps you can take to prepare:

• If you have life-supporting equipment at your home, you must advise your Level 2 immediately. You also need to be registered with Endeavour Energy. Additional information about Endeavour’s Life Support power services can be found here.
• Electronic Devices: Ensure all your essential devices, such as phones, tablets and laptops, are fully charged before the power goes out. Consider having a power bank ready for charging smaller devices during the outage. To protect more sensitive devices from potential power surges, it’s a good idea to unplug them before the power is restored, and plug them back in after power is reconnected. This includes computers, TVs and entertainment systems.
• Food and water: Consider prepping some meals ahead of time that don’t require heating or cooking, or have some pantry snacks on hand for the day. Keep a thermos of hot water handy for tea and coffee. Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed to maintain their temperature as best as possible during the outage. A handy tip for your freezer is to freeze a small glass of water and then sit a coin on top. If you ever open your freezer and find the coin has sunk in the frozen water, it means the temperature was not maintained in your freezer and your food has either completely or partially thawed and may not be safe to consume. If you have an electric hot water heater, you may also experience disruptions to your hot water supply. 
• Climate control: Keep in mind that heating and cooling systems will be offline during the work, so you may want to prepare with some extra layers in winter, or battery-operated fans and cool clothes in summer.
• Home security and accessibility: If you have an electric garage door, learn how to manually open and close it before the outage, or park your car outside during the Level 2 work. If you have a home security system that runs on electricity, ensure that its backup battery is fully charged. Similarly, if you have hardwired assistive devices like visual smoke alarms or assistive listening devices, ensure backup batteries are charged and be aware some of these devices may not operate during a power outage.
• Lighting: Though work will be completed during the day, if areas of your home don’t get much natural light it can be handy to have some battery powered torches or lanterns ready.

Planning ahead for an extended power outage ensures you’ll be well prepared to manage without electricity for a few hours. It also helps minimise stress if unexpected issues arise and the outage lasts longer than anticipated. When you work with ENE Services, we keep you informed throughout the entire process and will notify you as soon as possible if the power outage needs to be extended, ensuring you’re never left in the dark—literally or figuratively!

Step 5: Schedule a Follow-Up Inspection

Once the repairs are completed, it’s important to schedule a follow-up inspection with Endeavour Energy or the relevant authority to ensure that the defect has been properly addressed. This will help confirm that your property is now compliant with all safety regulations and that your electricity supply can continue without interruption. Instructions on following up should be included with your defect paperwork, or you can contact Endeavour on 133 718.

Step 6: Prevent Future Defects

After the immediate issue is resolved, take proactive steps to prevent future defects. This might include:

• Regular Maintenance: Schedule regular electrical inspections to catch potential issues before they become serious problems.
• Tree Trimming: Keep trees and vegetation well-trimmed and away from power lines.
• Upgrading Your Electrical System: If your home has an older electrical system, consider upgrading it to meet modern safety standards.

Why Choose ENE Services?

At ENE Services, we’ve spent over a decade providing high-quality electrical services across the Southern Highlands and Illawarra regions. Our team of Level 2 Electricians is fully qualified to handle all aspects of Endeavour defect notice repairs, from initial assessment to final inspection.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and transparent communication. When you choose us, you’re choosing a partner who will work with you every step of the way to ensure your home or business is safe, compliant, and free from electrical defects.

Conclusion

Receiving an electrical defect notice can be daunting, but by following these steps and working with a trusted Level 2 Electrician like ENE Services, you can resolve the issue quickly and efficiently. Don’t wait—contact us today to learn more about how we can help you address any electrical defects and keep your property safe.

For more information on our services or to schedule a consultation, visit our Level 2 Electrician page or contact us directly.