The Essential Services Commission has taken action against two businesses it alleges made false claims about work completed and breached consumer protections under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program.
The VEU program is an energy efficiency program, designed to help Victorians cut their energy bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Accredited businesses undertake energy efficiency upgrades that entitle them to create Victorian energy efficiency certificates, which they can then sell.
Renewable Energy Pty Ltd (Re-Energi)
Renewable Energy Pty Ltd (Re-Energi) has been suspended from the VEU program for three months for making false claims about upgrades and breaching consumer protections in the VEU code of conduct. While suspended, Re-Energi is banned from creating certificates for any type of energy efficiency work.
The commission alleges Re-Energi and contractors working on their behalf:
- made false claims about upgrades they completed and obtaining consumer consent. This included claiming certificates for upgrades that did not occur or did not meet VEU requirements
- engaged in prohibited sales and marketing activity, including illegal doorknocking, high-pressure sales tactics and failing to provide consumers with the required information.
Cold-call telemarketing and doorknocking are banned under the VEU program, businesses must get consumer consent before phoning or visiting them to market VEU upgrades.
The commission has:
- refused registration and ordered the surrender of a total of 28 certificates, valued at around $2,500*
- required Re-Energi to do a compliance audit to assess their compliance with the VEU rules.
GB Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd (Greenbank Environmental)
GB Environmental Trading Pty Ltd (Greenbank Environmental) has had a three-month restriction placed on its VEU accreditation for breaching the rules, including failing to ensure contractors completed installations correctly.
This is the second time Greenbank Environmental has had restrictions placed on its accreditation this year, with Greenbank restricted from undertaking VEU non-building based lighting upgrades for three months in July. The new restriction means , Greenbank will be banned from creating certificates for commercial and industrial heat pump water heater upgrades.
The commission alleges that a contractor working on behalf of Greenbank Environmental:
- staged photos to fraudulently claim more than $20,000 worth of certificates
- failed to complete upgrades, with contractors bringing water heater units to a property with no existing water heaters, to stage photos as false evidence of decommissioning. The units were then left for the consumer to remove, despite multiple requests to have them taken away
- paid the consumer $400 in cash to use as a co-payment for the installation.
The commission has ordered the surrender of 240 certificates, valued at over $20,000*.
Quotes attributable to Essential Services Commission Chairperson and Commissioner Gerard Brody
"Falsifying evidence and violating consumer protections are flagrant breaches of the VEU program rules, regardless of whether it is done directly by an accredited business or a contractor."
"Re-Energi's breaches involved serious misconduct by contractors working on their behalf and their own staff, which is why we have suspended Re-Energi for three months."
"Through our proactive compliance monitoring and community tip-offs, we will uncover wrongdoing, so don't think you'll get away with breaking the rules. Through this action, both Re-Energi and Greenbank Environmental will feel the financial cost of these breaches."
*Figure calculated using the certificate value of $85, the spot price on 20 October 2025
