GridFree Embedded Network Exit Pack

Inside this pack

Start here: the 2-minute version
Part 1: exit-feasibility pre-check (answer these first)
Part 2: the exit sequence (6 steps, in order)
Part 3: letter templates A to D (with a filled sample)
Part 4: bill decoder (with a worked example)
Part 5: dispute file builder + EWON-ready outline
Part 6: retirement villages and caravan parks
Sources
One-page cheat sheet: print it

Please read first: what this pack does NOT do

General information only. This pack is general information about navigating embedded-network exits in NSW. It is not legal, energy, or financial advice, and it does not create a professional relationship.
GridFree never contacts anyone on your behalf. Every letter here is a template for you to send. We do not lodge complaints or act for you.
It cannot make an un-exitable building exitable. If your unit cannot be metered separately, no retailer can supply it individually (see the pre-check).
Village and park residents: if you live in a retirement village or caravan park, the sequenced exit in Part 2 mostly does not apply to you (see Part 6). Do not buy the exit map expecting an individual exit.
Exemptions, rules, and retailer arrangements change. Check current Australian Energy Regulator (AER) guidance and get professional advice for your situation before acting.

Start here: the 2-minute version

Leaving an embedded network is a wiring diagram, not a phone call. There are up to four parties in the chain (operator, metering provider, retailer, distributor), and the exit stalls whenever one of them is skipped or contacted out of order.

The three questions in Part 1 take about an hour and tell you whether your building is exitable at all. Do those before you write a single letter. Most failed exits fail at the pre-check, not at the paperwork.

Tell a friend: if it is not in writing, it did not happen. Every operator promise, every retailer answer, every metering quote: get it in writing, or assume it was never said. That one habit is worth more than all four letter templates.

Your next step: pull out your most recent electricity bill and answer the three pre-check questions in Part 1 right now.

Part 1 · Exit-feasibility pre-check

Answer these three before anything else. If any answer is no, your building may not be exitable yet, and the sequence in Part 2 will stall. The point of the pre-check is to find that out in an hour, not after three months of emails.

Question 1: Are you actually on an embedded network?

Look at your electricity bill. Who is named as the seller? If it is a retailer you chose (AGL, Origin, EnergyAustralia, Red Energy and so on), you are not embedded and you can switch the normal way. If the seller is your building's operator, owners corporation, site owner, or a company you never chose, you are likely on an embedded network.

Question 2: Does the operator hold an exemption or a full authorisation?

Under the National Energy Retail Law, selling electricity normally requires a retailer authorisation. Embedded-network operators usually operate under a retail exemption instead. The AER publishes a public register of exemptions: search it for your building or operator name. If you cannot find one, ask the operator directly (Template A asks this). An operator that is neither authorised nor exempt is a red flag: that is exactly what the dispute file builder in Part 5 is for.

Question 3: Is your unit's metering individually addressable?

Some buildings have a separate meter per unit (a "child meter" off the building's parent meter). Others share metering with usage apportioned by a formula. If your unit cannot be metered separately, no retailer can supply it individually, and the exit is not a single-household project: it needs the owners corporation or site owner to act. Ask the operator in writing; do not rely on a verbal answer.

Your next step: write down your three answers. If all three are yes, move to Part 2. If any is no or "don't know", your next step is a written question to the operator (Template A), not the exit sequence.

Part 2 · The exit sequence

Leaving an embedded network is a wiring diagram, not a phone call. Do these in order. Skipping ahead is how exits stall.

Step 1: Confirm you are embedded (you + your bill)

Complete the pre-check in Part 1. Keep a copy of a recent bill: it is exhibit one in every letter you send and in any later EWON complaint.

Step 2: Map the parties (operator / retailer / metering / distributor)

Write down every party in the chain: who owns the parent (gate) meter, who the exempt seller is, who bills you, who the distribution network provider is for your street. Often only one name appears on the bill. Template A asks the operator to confirm the full chain in writing.

Step 3: Request your exit terms in writing (you to operator)

Ask the operator for the exit terms: what metering changes they require to release your unit, any exit fees, notice periods, and the changeover process and timeframe. Nothing verbal: if it is not in writing, it did not happen.

Step 4: Line up metering and a retailer (metering provider + new retailer)

Your unit needs its own meter arrangement and a retailer willing to supply it. Call two or three retailers and ask specifically whether they can supply a unit exiting an embedded network at your address. Get the answer in writing before you commit. This step must land before the changeover. Watch for double billing on network charges during the overlap (see Part 4).

Step 5: Document and dispute as needed (you + EWON if blocked)

Keep every letter, reply, bill and timestamp in the log in Part 5. If the operator stalls, refuses to answer, or the charges do not add up, the log becomes your EWON complaint file.

Step 6: Verify the first bill (you)

The exit is not done when someone says it is done. Confirm on the first bill from the new arrangement that the old charges stopped, the new supply started, and nobody is double-billing you. Keep both bills for 12 months.

Where exits usually stall: the operator does not reply to the exit-terms letter (move to Part 5 after two written follow-ups); no retailer will supply the unit (the metering is not individually addressable: back to the pre-check); or the changeover happens but both the old and new seller bill the same period (Part 4, then Part 5).

Your next step: send Template A today. The operator's reply (or silence) decides everything that follows.

Part 3 · Letter templates

Fill in the bracketed fields, keep a copy of everything you send, and note the date sent. GridFree never contacts anyone on your behalf.

Template A: filled sample SAMPLE

Dear BrightSpark Energy Pty Ltd,

I am the owner of Lot 12 at 45 Wattle Street, Ultimo NSW 2007, currently supplied electricity under your embedded network arrangement. I am writing to request my unit's exit terms in writing:

(1) the metering changes required to release my unit from the embedded network; (2) any exit fees, disconnection charges or notice periods that apply; (3) the process and expected timeframe for the changeover; (4) confirmation of whether you operate under an AER retail exemption or a retailer authorisation, and the exemption/authorisation reference if applicable.

Please reply in writing within 20 business days. If you need anything from me to process this request, please tell me what it is.

Yours sincerely, Alex Chen, alex.chen@example.com, 0400 000 000, 5 October 2026

Why this works: it names the lot and address (no ambiguity about which unit); it asks four numbered questions so a partial reply is obvious; it sets a written deadline; it asks the exemption question that doubles as a compliance check. All names and details are fictional.

Template A: Request for exit terms (owner version, blank)

Dear [Operator name],

I am the owner of [lot/unit number] at [building address], currently supplied electricity under your embedded network arrangement. I am writing to request my unit's exit terms in writing:

Please reply in writing within 20 business days. If you need anything from me to process this request, please tell me what it is.

Yours sincerely, [Your name], [Contact email and phone], [Date]

Template B: Metering provider, meter change request (blank)

Dear [Metering provider name],

I am arranging for my unit ([lot/unit number], [address]) to exit the building's embedded network. The embedded network operator is [operator name].

Please advise in writing: (1) what metering work is required for my unit to be metered separately and supplied by a retailer of my choice; (2) your quote for that work; (3) your earliest available date; (4) anything you need from the embedded network operator before you can proceed.

Yours sincerely, [Your name], [Date]

Template C: Prospective retailer, supply request (blank)

Dear [Retailer name],

I am seeking electricity supply for [lot/unit number], [address], currently supplied through an embedded network operated by [operator name]. The unit's metering arrangement is: [individually metered / being separately metered on date].

Can you supply this address as a standalone customer, and if so, what are your terms? Please confirm in writing, including the expected supply start date and how the changeover is coordinated with the current operator.

Yours sincerely, [Your name], [Date]

Template D: Tenant-to-landlord letter, asking the owner to act (blank)

Dear [Landlord / agent name],

I am the tenant at [address]. Our electricity is supplied through the building's embedded network by [operator name], which means we cannot choose our own retailer.

I am writing to ask you, as the owner, to consider requesting the unit's exit terms from the operator. The exit decision is yours; I am raising it because the current arrangement [is costing more than comparable retail offers / has unresolved billing issues / other reason].

I am happy to provide the bills and correspondence I have kept. Thank you for considering this.

Yours sincerely, [Your name], [Date]

Who does what: owners decide and drive the exit; tenants can ask, document, and escalate. Templates A to C are owner versions; Template D is the tenant version that starts the conversation with the owner.

The call

"Hi, I'd like to leave the embedded network." The operator says "we'll look into it." Nothing is written down, nothing has a date, and in three weeks nobody remembers the conversation.

The letter

Template A, sent by email, four numbered questions, 20-business-day reply request, copy filed with the date. Silence after two follow-ups becomes evidence, not just frustration.

Your next step: copy the sample into your own details, send it, and file the copy with today's date. That filed copy is the first page of your dispute file.

Part 4 · Bill decoder

Worked example: reading a bill ILLUSTRATIVE

Seller: BrightSpark Energy Pty LtdQ: is this a retailer you chose? If not, you are on the embedded network.

Usage: 312 kWh @ 34.5c/kWh = $107.64Q: compare against the AER reference price for your area.

Daily supply charge: 98c/day x 91 days = $89.18Q: some bills bury margin here, not in the usage rate.

Metering / service charge: $12.40Q: ask what this covers. Does it duplicate the supply charge?

Meter no: CM-88412 (child)Q: no meter number? Your metering may not be individually addressable.

All figures fictional, for illustration only. The questions are the product; the numbers are just the example.

What the bill should show

The seller: the name of the entity selling you electricity. If it is not a retailer you chose, you are on the embedded network.
Usage charges (cents per kWh): compare against the AER's published reference prices for your distribution area. A large gap is worth a written question to the operator.
Daily supply charge: compare against the reference price too. Some embedded bills bury margin here rather than in the usage rate.
Metering or service charges: ask what these cover and whether they duplicate anything in the supply charge.
The metering identifier: your meter or child-meter number. If you cannot find one, your metering may not be individually addressable (back to the pre-check).

Worth questioning

Any line item you cannot explain in one sentence. Ask the operator what it is, in writing.
Usage or supply charges well above the AER reference price for your area.
Double billing during a changeover: after you exit, check that the old operator's final bill and the new retailer's first bill do not cover the same days. Overlapping billing periods are the most common post-exit error.
Estimated reads for several bills in a row with no actual read. Ask when the meter was last read.

The honest limit of the decoder: a bill can look reasonable line by line and still be a bad deal overall. The decoder tells you what to question; it does not tell you whether a charge is unlawful. That is a question for EWON or a lawyer, not a checklist.

Your next step: take your latest bill and annotate every line with one sentence. Any line you cannot explain becomes a written question to the operator.

Part 5 · Dispute file builder

Keep a correspondence log from the day you start: date, who it was to/from, what was sent or received, reply due, outcome. If the operator stalls, this file is what you take to EWON. A documented case beats a story.

Document checklist: keep copies of all of these

Two recent bills (shows the seller name, charges, meter identifier)
Every letter you sent and every reply, with dates
The operator's exit terms, if they provided them
Retailer correspondence confirming (or refusing) supply
Metering quotes and completion paperwork
Final bill from the operator and first bill from the new retailer (the double-billing check)

If the operator stalls: the EWON-ready outline

What happened, in dates: one paragraph per event, drawn from your log.
What you asked for: attach the exit-terms letter and the follow-ups.
What they did or did not do: no reply by a date, a refusal, or charges that do not add up.
What you want: be specific: written exit terms, a corrected bill, completion of the changeover.

EWON is the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW: free dispute resolution for energy complaints in NSW. Its embedded-network customer page is the best free starting point after this pack. GridFree does not lodge complaints or act for you; the pack's job is to make sure that if you go to EWON, you arrive with a file, not a frustration.

Your next step: start the log today with one row: today's date, Template A sent, reply due in 20 business days. The file starts before there is a dispute.

Part 6 · Retirement villages and caravan parks

Some sites have different rules, and this is the part of the pack where honesty matters most: village and park residents usually cannot exit an embedded network individually. The site owner typically holds the network arrangement for the whole site, and one resident's exit does not unwind it.

Swipe sideways to see the full table

	Standard strata / apartment building	Retirement village / caravan park
Can you exit individually?	Often yes, if metering is individually addressable	Usually no: the site owner holds the network for the whole site
What applies from this pack	Parts 1-5: the full sequence	Parts 4 and 5: bill decoder + dispute file builder
What to ask instead	Exit terms, metering, retailer supply	How the charge is calculated, what the supply charge covers, whether charges are consistent with AER exempt-selling conditions
Where to escalate	EWON	EWON (covers villages and parks too) + NSW Fair Trading retirement-village resources for tenancy questions

What is actually movable: billing transparency (ask for the breakdown), the operator's exemption status, and whether the site's charges are consistent with the AER's exempt-selling conditions.
What to ask the village or park operator instead: how the electricity charge is calculated, what the supply charge covers, and what would happen if residents collectively sought retail supply.
Where to go: the same dispute file builder in Part 5 applies, and EWON covers embedded-network disputes in villages and parks too. For village-specific tenancy questions, the NSW Fair Trading retirement-village resources are the free starting point.

Do not buy the exit map for a village expecting an individual exit. If you are in a retirement village or caravan park, the sequenced exit in Part 2 mostly does not apply to you. What applies is Parts 4 and 5: understand the bill, document everything, and escalate through EWON if the charges do not add up.

Your next step: if you are in a village or park, skip to Parts 4 and 5 and start with the bill decoder. If you are in a standard strata building, continue the sequence in Part 2.

Sources

AER, Embedded network customers guidance (aer.gov.au), free, checked October 2026
EWON, Living in an embedded network (ewon.com.au), free, checked October 2026
National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007 (free financial counselling)

Rules and exemptions change. If a source above has moved, the current AER guidance wins over anything in this pack.

One-page cheat sheet (print this page)

The sequence

1. Confirm you are embedded · 2. Map the parties · 3. Exit terms in writing · 4. Line up metering + retailer · 5. Document everything · 6. Verify the first bill. In order. Skipping ahead is how exits stall.

The rule

If it is not in writing, it did not happen. Every promise, every answer, every quote: in writing, filed with the date.

The three stalls

No reply to the exit-terms letter (two written follow-ups, then Part 5) · No retailer will supply (back to the pre-check) · Double billing on the changeover (Part 4, then Part 5).

The file

Bills, letters, replies, exit terms, retailer correspondence, metering quotes, final + first bills. A documented case beats a story at EWON.

Villages and parks

Individual exit usually not possible. What applies: Parts 4 and 5. Understand the bill, document everything, escalate through EWON.

The numbers

EWON: free NSW energy dispute resolution. National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007. Template A: 20 business days for a written reply.

GridFree Embedded Network Exit Pack · Version 2026-10-05 · Free updates for 12 months · General information only, not legal or energy advice. Questions: fairformco@gmail.com