The following Terms and Conditions apply to the NSW Government's Hot Water System Rebate Program. The applicant should read them carefully before signing the application form.
Application
An application for a rebate must be submitted on an official 'Hot Water System Rebate application form' and must be approved by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) before a rebate can be issued.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a rebate, the applicant must:
be an owner of the residential property in NSW where the hot water system is installed, and
have either:
- paid for the hot water system in full; or
- entered into a deferred payment plan with the supplier of the hot water system and made payments under that plan (including any upfront deposit) that is equal to the amount of rebate applied for, and
complete and submit to DECCW an official 'Application for a Hot Water System Rebate’ form and attach the original receipt(s) for the purchase and installation of the hot water system.If the applicant has entered into a deferred payment plan and has not paid for the hot water system in full, the applicant must attach a copy of the payment plan and any original receipts for payments made under that plan. Please note, invoices without proof of payment are not acceptable. DECCW must receive the application no later than 5:00pm, 30 September 2011.
The hot water system must:
- be a new solar or heat pump hot water system that is eligible for at least 20 Renewable Energy Certificates under the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET); or
- be a new gas storage or instant hot water system that is connected to either reticulated gas or LPG and has an equivalent or greater than 5-Star Energy Rating
- replace an existing electric hot water system
- be purchased and installed between 1 October 2007 to 30 June 2011
- meet all relevant standards and local council requirements
- be installed by a licensed plumber
- not be used for non-domestic purposes such as heating a pool, spa or similar
Receipts
To receive the rebate, DECCW requires an original tax invoice or receipt, stating:
- date and place of purchase
- exact system model number
- receipt number
- ABN of the supplier
- that payment has been made
Although every effort will be made to return original receipts, DECCW will not be held responsible for failure to return original receipts. Applicants are advised to retain a copy of their receipt.
Renewable Energy Certificates
To be eligible for the rebate, solar and heat pump hot water systems must be eligible for at least 20 Renewable Energy Certificates as currently listed in Schedule 7 of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001.
The rebate is scaled as follows:
| Number of RECs | Rebate |
|---|
| 20-27 | $600 |
| 28-35 | $800 |
| 36-43 | $1000 |
| 44+ | $1200 |
The total sum of payments[1] you are receiving cannot exceed the total cost[2] of your installed hot water system. If this is the case you can request a reduced payment for your rebate.
[1] Includes payments from Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), the NSW and Australian Government rebates, plus any local government and/or energy retailer incentives.
[2] Includes the purchase, delivery and installation costs of your new hot water system.
Star ratings
To be eligible for the rebate, gas hot water systems must have a star rating of 5 star or higher, as listed in the Australian Gas Association's 'Directory of Certified Gas Appliances and Components'.
A star rating is not required for the gas component of a gas boosted solar system.
Ongoing operation of hot water system
The hot water system must operate on the property for a period of five (5) years after installation. On provision of reasonable notice from DECCW, the applicant will allow an authorised inspector access to the hot water system to conduct audits to ensure its continued operation.
BASIX
Hot water systems installed to comply with BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index) for new homes or major renovations are not eligible for a rebate.
Research
For the first five (5) years following installation, rebate recipients may be asked to participate in DECCW research about energy efficiency and hot water systems.
Sole rebate
DECCW will only issue one (1) rebate per property.
Refund of rebate
DECCW may request a repayment of all or part of a rebate from any applicant who makes false declarations to DECCW and/or breaches any of these terms and conditions in the first five (5) years after installation of the hot water system.
Program changes
DECCW reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion and at any time, to change any or all of the terms and conditions of the rebate program or to cancel the rebate program prior to 30 June 2011. Applications must be received by DECCW prior to any published termination date for the rebate program. Current terms and conditions are available on DECCW's website.
Liability
The applicant acknowledges and agrees that as far as the law permits, DECCW (and its successors) accepts no liability in respect to any claim, cause of action or loss or damage arising out of, or in relation to, any hot water system or the use of any water from such hot water system that is the subject of funding assistance. The applicant agrees that they will indemnify and keep indemnified DECCW from any claim or liability arising out of, or in relation to, the hot water system that is the subject of this application to the extent that any claim or liability is not caused by DECCW's negligence or breach of this application or any other term implied by law.
Payment
Payment of approved rebates will be by cheque only and made payable to the property owner as identified in the application form.
Privacy notice
DECCW collects and manages the personal information you provide in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998. DECCW collects this information to determine whether your application is eligible for a rebate Your personal information will be provided to the Australian Government as a matter of course to ensure that the total of government benefits you receive does not exceed the total cost of your installed system. Information collected by DECCW may also be disclosed to the Department of Planning for the purpose of checking the eligibility of your application against any BASIX requirements for your property.
The provision of this information is voluntary, however DECCW will not issue a rebate to an applicant who refuses to provide information or agree to the disclosure of their details to the above agencies. You have the right to access and correct any of your personal information once we have collected it, at any time. If the information provided by the Australian Government, Department of Planning and/or councils indicates that you are not eligible, then DECCW will not pay the rebate or will seek reimbursement of any rebate paid. For further information or enquiries regarding privacy or access to your information or correction of that information, contact an FOI/Privacy Officer on 9995 6080 or 9995 6497 or writing to FOI/Privacy Officer, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, PO BOX A290, SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1232.
