Frequently asked questions

Property owners and home businesses can arrange for any residential property in Bayside City Council to have energy upgrades undertaken through the program. Register for free advice and no obligation quotes.

For tenanted properties, the property owner will need to register and arrange the upgrades through our vetted installers. 

If you are the owner of a rental property in Bayside, you may obtain quotes and have any of the Home Energy Upgrade products supplied and installed by our vetted installers.  

If you are a tenant, let your rental property owner know that they can improve their property through quality, affordable energy upgrades available via the Love Bayside, Home Energy Upgrades program.  

Minimum rental standards: All rental properties must have an efficient fixed heater (not portable) in good working order in the main living area. For rental agreements entered into from 29 March 2023, that heater must be an energy-efficient fixed heater.  

Further energy efficiency standards for rental properties will come into effect on 1 March 2027, these include hot water, insulation and draught proofing.  

There are also Victorian Government solar rebates for rental properties.

We have published the standard prices of all available home energy upgrades, including applicable rebates. Our vetted installers will provide quotes specific to your needs, for example, sizing hot water systems, heating and cooling systems and insulation to suit your home. The final quoted cost depends on specific circumstances, such as any switchboard upgrades, additional wiring and rebates applied. Free, no obligation quotes will detail the final cost for your installation. 

There are a range of Australian Government and Victorian Government rebates available to help you create an energy efficient home.  

The rebates available across the home energy upgrade products vary, and some have specific eligibility criteria. See further information on the Pricing, products and rebates page.

YEF and the vetted installers can assist you to access applicable rebates. 

If you don’t know which home energy upgrades would be best to save energy and improve home comfort, Yarra Energy Foundation can provide free advice. The YEF team is here to help you understand your options and make informed decisions that suit your needs. You can call YEF on (03) 7037 6040. 

You can also download Bayside City Council’s Go Electric House Plan to help plan and prioritise your next upgrade. 

Savings will vary for each household. Speak to the relevant installer(s) or YEF about which upgrades are likely to provide the greatest savings. 

If you decide to proceed with the installer’s quote, that installer will be responsible for the installation, services, products, and warranties, in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in your quote.  

Yarra Energy Foundation is not responsible for the supply and installation of upgrades but is available to respond to any questions you may have about the offer.  

If you have registered your interest and received a quote(s), but have changed your mind, you have no obligation to proceed with installation.  

You can choose to proceed with installation by accepting a quote from an installer, along with any terms and conditions provided with the quote, the arrangement will be with the installer(s) and not with Yarra Energy Foundation or Bayside City Council.  

If you change your mind after accepting a quote from an installer, you will need to consider any terms and conditions provided with the quote and liaise with the installer. YEF and Bayside City Council are not responsible for these matters. 

In the first instance, you should discuss your concerns directly with the installer, and they will seek to resolve any issues. While YEF is not party to your accepted quote with an installer, if there are issues that are unresolved, please contact YEF for assistance.  

The information you provide in the registration form is submitted to Yarra Energy Foundation and Bayside City Council, and with your consent, will be shared with the following parties:  

• Relevant installer(s) depending on the home energy upgrade products you have expressed interest in: All Electric Homes for rooftop solar, heating and cooling, hot water, home batteries, electric vehicle chargers and induction cooktops and Enviroflex for insulation. All Electric Homes and Enviroflex will only provide you with information about products and services you have selected on the registration form or asked for.  

Your personal information will be managed in accordance with our privacy policy and will not be disclosed to any other third party without your consent, unless required or authorised by law. You can contact Yarra Energy Foundation for access to and/or amendment of the information recorded.  

Bayside City Council engaged Yarra Energy Foundation as an independent partner to help deliver the Love Bayside, Home Energy Upgrades program. Through a rigorous evaluation process, YEF has appointed two reputable home energy upgrade installers with good quality products at affordable prices. YEF is here to provide independent advice to residents as they embark on their home energy upgrades journey.  

To select the preferred installer, YEF considered the following: 

• Capacity and expertise 

• Product quality and warranties 

• Customer service 

• Price and value for money. 

In addition, the following requirements were evaluated: 

• Installer insurances 

• Professional reference checks and customer reviews 

• Industry accreditations and memberships 

• Staff qualifications and training 

• Environmental management and safety. 

Load shifting is about maximising your bill savings by adjusting your energy usage patterns. By having electric appliances like your hot water system, dishwasher, and washing machine running when your solar panels are generating electricity or when grid-supplied energy is cheaper, you can lower your energy bills.   

A Planning Permit is required if your property is subject to a Heritage Overlay, and the panels will be visible from the street or a public park. To find out if your property is subject to a Heritage Overlay, use the interactive map on the Bayside City Council planning webpage or call (03) 9599 4666 to discuss your property with a Bayside City Council planner.