These Terms and Conditions apply when you use our website or our services. Please read them carefully. By submitting an enquiry, signing a Letter of Authority or asking us to arrange an energy contract, you agree to these Terms.
In these Terms, “Clearline”, “we”, “us” and “our” means Clearline Energy Pty Ltd (ABN 58 702 723 626). “You” and “your” means the business receiving our services, and the person using our website or dealing with us on its behalf.
1. Who we are
Clearline is an independent energy broker. We help businesses compare, negotiate and manage electricity and gas contracts.
We are not an energy retailer, distributor or metering provider. When you accept an offer, your energy contract is directly between you and the retailer you choose. The retailer is responsible for supplying your energy, billing you and meeting the terms of that contract.
2. Our services
Depending on your business, our services may include:
- Comparing offers from energy retailers and presenting them to you
- Arranging a switch or renewal with the retailer you choose
- Tendering and procurement for large market and multi-site customers
- Bill validation and network tariff reviews
- Advice on power factor correction, demand response and renewable energy options
- Ongoing account management and renewal reminders
3. Our retailer panel
We compare offers from the retailers on our panel. Our panel may not include every retailer or every product available in the market. If you’d like to know which retailers we approached for your quote, just ask.
4. How we are paid
Our services are free for your business. We are paid by the retailer when a contract we arrange starts or renews. This payment may be factored into the rates offered to you. You can ask us at any time how we are paid for a particular contract.
If we ever agree to charge you a fee for a specific service, we will tell you in writing before we start the work, and nothing will be charged without your agreement. Any fees are exclusive of GST unless stated otherwise.
5. Letter of Authority
To get quotes for you, we may ask you to sign a Letter of Authority. It lets us request your account, billing, meter and usage information from retailers, distributors and metering providers, and speak with them on your behalf. You can withdraw your Letter of Authority at any time by telling us in writing.
6. Quotes and switching
- Quotes are based on the information and market prices available at the time. Retailers may change or withdraw an offer before it is accepted.
- We will only arrange a new contract or switch with your consent. There is no obligation to accept any offer we present.
- Contract start dates are estimates and depend on the retailer, your distributor and your meter.
- Retailers may run a credit check on your business, and may ask for a personal credit check on a director or guarantor, before accepting your application.
- Retailers may change their rates and terms in line with their own contract terms, and network, environmental and other regulated charges can change over time.
7. Small business customers
The offers we arrange for small business customers generally have no lock-in period and no exit fees. Before you accept an offer, we will tell you about any fees or conditions the retailer has told us about. The retailer’s contract terms are the final word, so please read them before you sign.
8. Large market customers
For large market and multi-site customers, these Terms work alongside any Letter of Authority, offer acceptance form, proposal or contract you sign. If anything in those documents conflicts with these Terms, the signed document applies.
Large market contracts often include fixed terms, early termination fees and notice periods. You are responsible for checking the retailer’s contract before you sign and for telling us about any existing contracts that may be affected. Where a site is part of an embedded network, extra approvals may be needed, and this can affect timing, pricing or whether a transfer is possible.
9. Your responsibilities
- Give us information that is accurate, complete and up to date, and tell us promptly if anything changes
- Tell us about any existing energy contracts, exit fees or notice periods that may affect your sites
- Review every offer and contract before you sign, and make your own decision about whether to accept it
- Make sure you are authorised to act for the business and its sites
If information you give us is incorrect or incomplete, a retailer may reject your application, delay your transfer or change its pricing. We are not responsible for those outcomes.
You agree to indemnify us against any loss, cost or claim that arises directly from information you gave us that was inaccurate, incomplete or misleading, from your failure to tell us about something material to your sites or contracts, or from your breach of these Terms. This doesn’t apply to the extent the loss was caused by our own negligence, fraud or wilful misconduct.
10. No guarantee of savings
We work hard to find you a better deal, but we can’t guarantee any particular saving. Estimated savings are based on your past usage and current prices. Your actual costs depend on your future usage, market conditions and changes in network and other charges.
11. Information on our website
The information on our website, including our guides and market commentary, is general in nature. It does not take your business’s specific circumstances into account and is not financial, legal or tax advice. We take care to keep it accurate, but prices and market conditions change often.
Our website may link to other websites. We are not responsible for their content or how they handle your information.
All content on our website, including text, graphics and logos, belongs to Clearline Energy Pty Ltd or is used with permission. You may view and print it for your own business use. Please don’t copy, modify or republish it for any other purpose without our written consent.
When you use our website, you must not:
- Use it in any way that breaks the law or infringes anyone else’s rights
- Submit false information, or information about a business or person you’re not authorised to act for
- Send us spam, advertising or harmful code, or try to interfere with how the website works
We aim to keep our website available and secure, but we can’t promise it will always be uninterrupted, error-free or free of viruses. To the extent permitted by law, we are not responsible for any loss or damage caused by using the website or being unable to use it.
12. Privacy
We handle your personal information in line with our Privacy Policy and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). By using our services, you agree that we may share your information with retailers, distributors, metering providers and our service providers so we can deliver those services.
We may contact you by phone, email or SMS about your energy accounts, renewals and relevant offers. You can opt out of marketing messages at any time, in line with the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).
13. Australian Consumer Law
Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or changes any right or remedy you have under the Australian Consumer Law or any other law that cannot be excluded. We will provide our services with due care and skill.
14. Limitation of liability
To the extent permitted by law:
- We are not responsible for the supply, billing or performance of any retailer, distributor or metering provider
- We are not liable for delays or failures caused by third parties or events outside our reasonable control
- We are not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, savings, revenue or opportunity
- Our total liability to you in connection with our services is limited to the amount we received in connection with the contract the claim relates to
15. Complaints
If you’re unhappy with our service, please contact us first. We’ll acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within 30 days. Complaints about your energy supply or bills from a retailer should be raised with that retailer. If they can’t resolve it, you may be able to contact the energy and water ombudsman in your state.
16. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time by publishing a new version on our website. The updated Terms apply to services we provide after they are published. Changes to these Terms don’t change any document you have already signed.
17. General
These Terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia, and you agree to the jurisdiction of its courts. If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the rest continues to apply. If we don’t enforce a right straight away, we haven’t waived it.
Contact us
Clearline Energy Pty Ltd
ABN 58 702 723 626
info@clearlineenergy.com.au
03 7057 3681