Gas work around Greater Bendigo
Almost all separate houses
91.4% of occupied homes in Greater Bendigo's council area were separate houses at the 2021 Census, and just 0.9% were flats or apartments.
Rentals: checks every 2 years
26.9% of the council area's homes were rented. Victoria's Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 require landlords to arrange gas safety checks every 2 years, by a gasfitter endorsed in Type A gas work.
Three gas distributors
Energy Safe Victoria says Victoria has three gas distributors, each covering its own region. Yours is on your gas bill, along with its emergency number.
Renovating around gas
A kitchen or laundry renovation often means moving or disconnecting a gas appliance for a while. The Government has said gas systems can be temporarily removed and reinstalled during renovations, so a gas hot water unit doesn't have to go just because the room is being rebuilt.
Energy Safe Victoria says to always use a licensed gasfitter for installation, repairs or renovations involving gas work, including disconnecting or relocating appliances. Plan where the gas line goes before the cabinetry does.
Existing homes and new builds from 2027
| Existing home | New home | |
|---|---|---|
| Gas hot water | Repairable. Once it reaches end of life from 1 March 2027, replace with an efficient electric system. Check current rules. | All new homes built all electric from 1 January 2027, according to the Government |
| Gas cooktop and oven | No change for existing homes | All electric |
| Gas heating | No change for owner occupiers | All electric |
Businesses on gas
For existing commercial buildings, the Government says the end-of-life rules for gas appliances aren't changing. New commercial buildings, other than industrial, manufacturing and agricultural ones, must be built all electric from 1 January 2027.
Read the photo ID card
In Victoria, the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) registers and licenses gasfitters, Energy Safe Victoria says. Every registered or licensed gasfitter is issued a photo ID card that lists the type of work they're allowed to do.
Cookers, space heaters, central heaters and water heaters are Type A appliances. For servicing or repairing them, the card should show Type A servicing. A plumber whose card covers water or drainage but not gasfitting shouldn't be touching the gas.
Questions for a Bendigo gas fitter
- Can the hot water unit be removed and refitted during my renovation?
- Does your photo ID card show the gasfitting and Type A classes for this job?
- Will you leak-test the line after moving the appliance?
- For a rental, what record will you leave of the safety check?
What we would do
If you're renovating, bring the gas fitter in at the planning stage, not after the benchtops are ordered. Ask whether the existing gas hot water can come out and go back in, since the Government says that's allowed. And if the system is near the end of its life anyway, price an electric replacement at the same time, while the walls are open.