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Hot Water Cost

The rules behind hot water

Temperature limits your plumber has to meet, what the law says when a rental loses hot water, and the Victorian change coming in 2027.

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50 °C Tempering valves and the delivery limit Why tank water is kept above 60 °C but mixed down before it reaches your shower. Read the rule Urgent Renters, landlords and hot water What landlords in Victoria and NSW must do, and what renters can do if they don't. Read the rule 1 March 2027 Victoria's gas hot water rule When a gas system in a Victorian home dies for good, an efficient electric one goes in. Read the rule

Three things worth knowing before any work starts

Stored hot water has to stay above 60 °C so bacteria like Legionella can't grow, but water reaching a shower or basin in most homes can't be hotter than 50 °C. That's why a tempering valve belongs on a replacement quote.

In NSW, a failed hot water service is an urgent repair, and in Victoria it is legally an urgent repair too. Renters in both states can arrange the repair themselves if the landlord doesn't act, up to a cap.

And in Victoria, from 1 March 2027, a gas hot water system reaching end of life has to be replaced with an efficient electric one. If you're pricing a replacement, Victoria's rebates and the calculator show what that switch costs.