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October 13, 2026
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You step out your back door at 9pm to take the bins out. The path looks fine in daylight…
Victoria’s move away from gas stops being a headline in 2027 and starts showing up in Geelong homes. New homes will be built without gas. Broken gas hot water systems can’t be replaced with gas. And rental properties face even stricter rules.
Most of the conversation is about appliances. The part people miss is the wiring. Every gas appliance you swap for electric adds load to a switchboard and supply that, in a lot of older Geelong homes, was never designed for it.
This guide explains exactly what the 2027 rules require, who they apply to and what going all electric means for your switchboard, circuits and power supply, from a Geelong electrician’s point of view.
Quick answer: Victoria’s 2027 gas rules in brief
1 January 2027: New homes and most new commercial buildings in Victoria, including knock down rebuilds, must be all electric. No new gas connections, except in specific circumstances.
1 March 2027: Gas hot water systems can no longer be installed in existing Victorian homes. When one breaks and can’t be repaired, it must be replaced with an electric alternative, such as a heat pump or electric boosted solar.
1 March 2027 (rentals): Rental homes must also replace failed gas heaters with efficient electric heating, plus meet new cooling, insulation and other standards.
Not affected: Existing gas heaters and gas cooktops in owner occupied homes can keep being used, repaired and replaced.
Wiring impact: Electric hot water, reverse cycle heating, induction cooking and EV charging add significant load. Many older Geelong homes need a switchboard upgrade, new dedicated circuits, or a supply upgrade.
Savings: The Victorian Government estimates existing all electric homes save about $1,900 a year, or $2,230 with solar.
Victoria’s 2027 gas rules are a set of building, plumbing and rental regulations that phase gas out of new homes and gas hot water out of existing homes. They’re part of the Victorian Government’s Gas Substitution Roadmap and are phased in from 1 January 2027.
Date | What changes | Who it affects | Regulation |
13 October 2026 | Electrical and gas safety checks every two years apply to every rental agreement | Landlords, property managers | Victorian rental laws |
1 January 2027 | New homes and most new commercial buildings must be all electric, including knock down rebuilds and new detached buildings such as granny flats | New home buyers, builders, developers | Building Regulations 2018 |
1 March 2027 | Gas hot water systems can’t be installed in existing homes; failed units must be replaced with electric | All homeowners | Plumbing Regulations 2018 |
1 March 2027 | Rental minimum energy efficiency standards begin: electric heating and hot water at end of life, plus cooling, insulation and shower heads at new leases | Landlords, renters | Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 |
1 July 2027 | Rental draughtproofing standard begins at new leases | Landlords | Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 |
1 July 2030 | All rentals must have efficient cooling in the main living area | Landlords | Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 |
If your building permit was approved before 31 December 2026, you may still be able to connect a new home to gas. After that, new homes won’t be eligible for a gas connection.
It depends on whether you own and live in the home, rent it out, or are building new.
If you own and live in an existing home (Highton, Belmont, Ocean Grove, Torquay, Lara and so on):
Hot water: yes. From 1 March 2027, if your gas hot water system breaks and can’t be repaired, or needs replacing for any other reason, it must be replaced with an electric alternative.
Heating: no. There’s no requirement to replace existing gas space heating. You can keep using, repairing and replacing it.
Cooking: no. Gas cooktops can stay.
Renovations and extensions: you can stay connected to gas, keep using existing gas appliances and even extend gas to a new part of the home.
If you rent out a property in Geelong:
The rules are stricter. Failed gas heaters and gas hot water must both be replaced with efficient electric systems from 1 March 2027. We cover the detail in Gas heater or hot water died in your Geelong rental? and our rental electrical compliance guide.
If you’re building new in Geelong’s growth areas:
From 1 January 2027, new homes must be all electric. That includes knock down rebuilds in established suburbs like Belmont or Newtown and new detached buildings on the same block, such as a granny flat or a large shed.
The short version: hot water is the one change that reaches almost every Geelong home. Gas hot water systems typically last around 10 to 15 years, so a large share of local homes will face this decision within the next few years.
Gas appliances use almost no electricity. Their electric replacements do the same job with electricity, which means more current through your switchboard, wiring and supply. Here’s what each swap typically involves electrically:
Swap | Typical electrical demand* | Usually needs |
Gas hot water to heat pump | Around 1 to 1.5 kW running; some models have a booster element of up to around 3.6 kW | Dedicated circuit and isolator; option to run on a timer or midday solar |
Gas wall heater to split system (reverse cycle) | Around 1 to 3 kW, depending on size | Dedicated circuit, outdoor isolator |
Ducted gas to ducted reverse cycle | Around 4 to 8 kW or more for a whole house system | Larger dedicated circuit; sometimes three phase power |
Gas cooktop to induction | Up to around 7 kW with all zones on full | Dedicated circuit, often 32 A cable from the switchboard |
Petrol car to EV (home charger) | 7 kW single phase; up to 22 kW three phase | Dedicated circuit, load management, often a switchboard check |
Gas oven to electric oven | Around 2 to 3.5 kW | Dedicated circuit |
Indicative ranges only. Actual demand depends on the model, size and settings and an electrician will calculate your home’s maximum demand before adding circuits.
One appliance on its own is rarely a problem. The issue is stacking them. A home that adds a heat pump, two split systems, an induction cooktop and an EV charger over a few years can end up asking far more of its supply than the original wiring was planned for.
That’s why we recommend planning electrification as a whole, even if you do it one appliance at a time. Ask once: what will this home’s switchboard and supply need to carry in five years? Then build towards it.
Related services: EV charger installation in Geelong, air conditioning installation and lighting and powerpoint installation for new appliance circuits.
Not always. But in Geelong’s older suburbs, it’s common.
Ceramic fuses instead of circuit breakers
No safety switches (RCDs), or only one RCD covering a few circuits
No spare space on the board for new circuits
Asbestos backing board (common in boards installed before the late 1980s)
Breakers tripping when the kettle, heater and oven run together
Scorch marks, buzzing or a warm board
Any of these mean the board should be assessed before adding a heat pump, split system or induction cooktop. Our switchboard upgrade service covers replacement with modern circuit breakers, RCD protection on every circuit and room for future circuits.
Most Geelong homes run on single phase power. That’s usually enough for a heat pump, a couple of split systems, an induction cooktop and a 7 kW EV charger, especially with smart load management.
Three phase power is worth considering if you plan to:
Upgrading to three phase involves your electrician and the local distributor, which in Geelong is Powercor. It takes time, so it’s best decided early rather than when an appliance has already failed.
Weatherboards in Geelong West, Newtown and Drumcondra, post war homes in Belmont, Hamlyn Heights and Bell Park and 70s and 80s brick veneers in Highton, Grovedale and Corio often still have original wiring and switchboards. Some have old rubber insulated or undersized cabling that shouldn’t carry extra load at all.
If that sounds like your home, an electrical inspection before electrifying is money well spent. Our residential electricians can assess the whole installation and give you a staged plan. Planning a kitchen or bathroom refresh? Do the electrical upgrades as part of your renovation while the walls are open.
If your building permit is issued from 1 January 2027, your new Geelong home will be all electric by law. That’s a big opportunity to get the wiring right from day one, instead of retrofitting later.
Before lock up, ask your builder and electrician about:
Switchboard size. Allow spare space for at least 6 to 8 future circuits.
Three phase supply. Cheaper to get at the build stage than to add later, especially if you want ducted reverse cycle or fast EV charging.
EV charger circuit. Even if you don’t own an EV yet, run the cable to the garage now. Our EV charger installation page explains what’s involved.
Induction cooktop circuit sized correctly for the cooktop you actually want.
Heat pump hot water placement away from bedroom windows, with its own circuit and timer or solar control.
Solar and battery readiness. Conduit from the roof space to the switchboard and space for a battery.
Outdoor power and lighting. Extra weatherproof power points and garden lighting are far easier before landscaping.
We work with owner builders and builders on new build electrical work across Geelong’s growth corridors, from Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed to Charlemont, Lara and the Bellarine.
The Victorian Government says efficient electric appliances can cost no more than gas alternatives once discounts and rebates are applied. Here’s what’s available for Geelong households (as at October 2026):
Incentive | What it covers | Amount |
Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) | Heat pump hot water, reverse cycle air conditioning, induction cooktops, insulation and more | Hot water discount up to $560; other amounts vary by product |
Solar Homes hot water rebate (Solar Victoria) | Heat pump or solar hot water for eligible households | Up to $1,000, or up to $1,400 for an eligible locally made product |
Combined hot water support | VEU + Solar Homes together | Up to $1,560 off a new efficient hot water system |
Small scale Technology Certificates (federal) | Heat pump and solar hot water, solar panels | Applied as a point of sale discount |
Cheaper Home Batteries Program (federal) | Home batteries installed with solar | Roughly 30% off; reduces every six months, with the next step down in January 2027 |
Solar Homes rebates have eligibility rules, including a household income cap, so check Solar Victoria before you buy.
What you save afterwards: Victorian Government figures put the saving from replacing gas hot water with electric at around $400 a year and an existing all electric home at about $1,900 a year, or $2,230 with solar. Going fully electric also means you can drop the gas connection and its daily supply charge altogether.
The cheapest way to electrify is to bundle work: one switchboard upgrade and several circuits in a single visit costs less than three separate call outs.
Not every home needs every step. A single conversation with an electrician turns this into a plan that fits your budget and timeline.
No. Existing homes can stay connected to gas. From 1 March 2027, the change for owner occupiers is that a failed gas hot water system must be replaced with an electric one. Gas heaters and cooktops can stay.
No. From 1 March 2027, gas hot water systems can’t be installed in Victorian homes. A failed unit must be replaced with an electric alternative, such as a heat pump or electric boosted solar.
Only if your building permit was approved before 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, new homes, including knock down rebuilds, must be all electric.
Not always. Homes with a modern circuit breaker board, RCDs and spare space often don’t. Homes with ceramic fuses, no RCDs, a full board or an asbestos backing board usually do.
Most Geelong homes run fine on single phase power. Three phase is worth considering for large ducted reverse cycle systems, fast or dual EV charging, or heavy workshop loads.
Generally yes. It needs a dedicated circuit and isolator and can be set up to run on a timer or during the day on solar.
Yes. Induction cooktops usually need a dedicated circuit, often with 32 A cabling. A gas cooktop never needed one, so most kitchens converting from gas need new wiring.
Victorian Government figures estimate around $400 a year from replacing gas hot water with electric and about $1,900 a year for an all electric existing home, or $2,230 with solar.
Hot water upgrades can attract up to $1,560 through VEU and Solar Homes combined. VEU discounts also cover reverse cycle air conditioning and induction cooktops. Federal programs support solar and batteries.
Look for a licensed, insured, Registered Electrical Contractor who will assess your switchboard and supply before quoting appliances. Kuna Electrics (REC 23479) is a family run Geelong electrician that does exactly this, across Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast.
The 2027 gas rules don’t force anyone to rip out a working appliance. But they change what happens when something fails and they make it worth planning now. The homes that switch smoothly are the ones whose switchboard and supply are ready before the hot water system dies.
Kuna Electrics is a family run, licensed and insured Geelong electrician (REC 23479) with 15+ years of experience. We help homeowners, landlords and builders across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast and Wyndham plan and wire all electric homes: switchboard upgrades, dedicated circuits, air conditioning, EV chargers and new build electrical.
Book an all electric readiness check or call 0452 345 862.
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