Heat-pump hot-water rebates in the ACT and NSW: what will I actually pay?

Write down your postcode, whether the old system is gas or electric, and whether it has failed. Give those details to the installer with your household’s hot-water needs. Ask for the complete price, required paperwork and installation date before paying a deposit.

What if my hot-water system has already failed?

Tell the installer the system has failed and ask for the earliest workable installation date. Before agreeing, get the exact model, complete price and nomination or approval requirements. Ask about a temporary hot-water arrangement if work cannot happen promptly. Base the budget on support confirmed today, including any cash needed before reimbursement.

If you are considering our service, read the hot-water upgrade details (opens in a new tab) and use the installer contact there. Have your postcode and old system type ready. Check the eligibility before relying on the offer in a quote.

What hot-water support can I get in the ACT?

Eligible Home Energy Support households can receive up to 50% of approved costs for the second upgrade category, capped at $2,500. Hot water shares that allowance with heating and cooling, electric cooking and ceiling insulation. Check the remaining allowance and get approval before accepting a quote. The rebate-only route requires payment before reimbursement.

The ACT rebate requires an accepted concession card, ownership and occupancy of an eligible existing home, the workshop and the property’s land-value test. Check Home Energy Support eligibility before booking (opens in a new tab).

For borrowing, the Sustainable Household Scheme has standard 3% finance and a separate concession route. Product eligibility and available borrowing capacity matter. An upgrade that qualifies for a rebate is not automatically approved for a loan.

What heat-pump hot-water discounts can I get in NSW?

The Energy Savings Scheme publishes indicative discounts of up to $640 when replacing electric hot water with a heat pump, or up to $330 when replacing gas. The actual discount depends on the installer, model, location and job. Complete the nomination paperwork before installation; completed work is not reimbursed under this route. Check the standard incentive (opens in a new tab).

A larger offer is available to homeowners in selected NSW postcodes. It requires an accredited participating business, nomination before any payment or installation, and completion by 30 June 2027. Funding can finish earlier. Queanbeyan or another NSW address does not qualify just because it is in NSW: check the postcode. Check the current postcode offer (opens in a new tab).

A published annual bill-saving estimate is different from an installation discount. Ask for the discount and installed price in dollars, and assess running-cost savings separately.

What should the complete installed price include?

• The exact heat-pump and tank model, supply and installation.
• Plumbing, electrical work and any required switchboard or circuit changes.
• Removal of the old unit, site access and any quoted travel costs.
• The discounts already included, a later reimbursement and the final amount you pay.
• The deposit, payment dates, warranty responsibilities and exclusions.

Illustrative NSW quote only. Suppose equipment and standard installation cost $4,200 before a confirmed $600 discount, with another $500 of electrical work outside that price. The amount to pay is $4,100. This assumes no other confirmed discounts. The $600 is an assumed supplier discount, not a government promise.

If the supplier has already quoted $4,100 including that work and discount, use $4,100. Do not subtract the discount again. An ACT reimbursement needs a separate cashflow calculation because the money can arrive after you have paid.

Will the heat pump suit my local winter conditions?

Ask how the exact model will heat water and recover after your household’s showers on a cold morning. The ACT buyer guide recommends checking operation on the heat pump alone down to −5°C and asking about any electric booster. Tank size, available space, ventilation and noise also need to suit the home. A rebate-approved model still needs a suitable installation.

For a home on the coast, have the installer assess the local conditions and proposed placement too. Ask when the unit will heat water, whether the schedule fits available solar or your electricity prices, and how it will maintain enough hot water for the household. Get the proposed settings explained before installation.

What should I ask about winter recovery and noise?

Give the installer the busiest shower period in your household and ask for a cold-day recovery explanation for the exact tank and heat pump. Ask when the booster would run and whether the proposed timer leaves enough hot water for the next use. Request the tank and compressor positions, clearances and noise assessment in the written proposal.

Ask who handles a fault with the compressor, tank or electronics and whether service travel is included. Keep those responsibilities with the plumbing, electrical work and old-unit removal price. That makes two installation quotes easier to compare, particularly when one headline price covers less of the job.

Can I finance the remaining cost or arrange this as a renter?

Eligible NSW owners and landlords can apply for Home Energy Saver loans of up to $15,000 at zero interest over up to 10 years. Combined annual taxable household income must be no more than $210,000; citizenship or permanent residency, eligible products and finance approval also apply. Its separate planned discount has not opened as at 13 October 2026. If seeking both on the same purchase, current guidance says to wait for the discount and apply for it first; a loan taken first prevents that future discount on the purchase. Check live status and application order (opens in a new tab).

Renters should involve the landlord before permanent work. The NSW postcode offer can be pursued through an eligible landlord. ACT renters can check the free Home Energy Efficiency Program assessment route; Home Energy Support rebates require ownership and occupancy.

What changes on my electricity plan after the upgrade?

Ask the installer when the new system will heat water and whether a controlled-load arrangement is being changed. Controlled load is a separate charge for an eligible appliance, and its availability depends on the installation and plan.

Put the proposed heating hours beside your plan’s actual prices and any available solar. Ask the installer to confirm the permitted controls, adequate hot water and expected booster use. If the controlled-load arrangement changes, have the retailer explain the resulting charges before relying on a running-cost estimate.

Related advice: Is your hot-water tank already a battery? · ACT Sustainable Household Scheme: who qualifies and what will I repay? · What size hot-water system do I need?

Ask us about a hot water upgrade

Our hot-water upgrade offer (opens in a new tab) is for eligible ACT homes with an ActewAGL electricity plan and an existing gas hot-water system. Check its terms before requesting a quote. If you’re with another retailer, you can use the government routes above and ask us what would be required to access our service. An installer confirms the model, placement, winter performance and complete cost.

Check what you could save on a new hot-water system (opens in a new tab)