Eligible homeowners can access $1,000 to help upgrade their heating system to an energy-efficient reverse-cycle air conditioner.
Why upgrade to a reverse cycle air conditioner?
- Increase your thermal comfort
- Lower energy costs
- Improve your health and wellbeing
- Reduce greenhouse emissions
About the rebate
The Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program will help Victorian households improve their thermal comfort by offering rebates to upgrade gas heaters, electric heaters and wood heaters with energy-efficient reverse-cycle air conditioners. Those with no heating may also be eligible.
Through upgrading a home heating system, applicants can improve their quality of life, provide jobs for tradespeople, produce broader environmental benefits by reducing gas emissions and improving local air quality, and pave the way for the electrification of Victorian households as the state transitions to a renewable energy future.
Under the program, eligible households can receive:
- $1,000 towards the cost of an energy-efficient reverse-cycle air conditioner
- $200 towards the cost of decommissioning their outdated gas heater (if an existing gas heater is being replaced), and
- $500 towards the cost of upgrading their switchboard (if an upgrade is required to install the rebated reverse-cycle air conditioner).
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this program households must:
» be an owner-occupier household with an approved concession card, or with a combined household income of less than $90,000
» replace an existing gas, fixed electric or wood heater or no heating with an energy efficient reverse-cycle air conditioner
» install a reverse-cycle air conditioner from the Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program approved products list by an approved Home Heating and Cooling Program supplier
Our list of Approved Suppliers can be found at www.heatingupgrades.vic.gov.au/approved-suppliers
Our list of approved products can be found at www.heatingupgrades.vic.gov.au/approved-products
How to apply for a rebate
Step 1
Inform yourself
Before you arrange to purchase and install an energy-efficient reverse cycle air conditioner, you should be sure that you understand the rebate application process and eligibility criteria. You should also do some research on reverse-cycle air conditioners to find out which system will best suit your heating and cooling needs and match your budget. The Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Buyers Guide contains useful information on the types of systems available and what factors to consider.
Once you have done some research, review the different types of systems in the Home Heating and Cooling approved product list. You should also identify the Approved Supplier you want to use.
Step 2
Prepare your documents
To complete your application, you will need to provide two types of the following ID that show the same name:
» Australian driver licence
» Medicare card
» Australian passport
» Australian birth certificate
» Foreign passport with a valid Australian Visa
» ImmiCard
To confirm your eligibility, you will need to provide:
» your personal details, including your property address and contact details;
» proof of your combined household’s annual income (you’ll receive an email from our team informing you of what documents you will need after you apply); or
» a valid concession card such as a health care card, pensioner concession card or commonwealth seniors health card.
You will also need to clarify which heating system you are upgrading to a reverse-cycle air conditioner.
Step 3
Complete your application
Once you have all your information ready you can make your application through our portal on the Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades website.
Step 4
Arrange your installation
When you have completed the application process and are approved you will receive an email containing your rebate Token number.
Once you receive your rebate Token you can contact one of our Approved Suppliers to attend your premises so they can quote you for the new system and decommission your old heater (if required).
After the inspection we will provide you with the supplier’s quote. If you approve of the amount quoted you can use your rebate Token and arrange the installation of your new system.
Please note that once you accept a quote you will not be able to use your rebate Token with another supplier.
