FAQs

As the property owner, you are responsible and accountable for all privately owned poles on your property. Once we’ve inspected the first private power pole, we’ll notify you if maintenance or replacement is required, and who you may seek to contact to complete the work.

Depending on the condition of the pole, you’ll have either 30 or 90 days to replace it or we may advise to undertake this work in the future.

Both Western Power and property owners have private pole inspection obligations as follows:

Western Power has a duty of care requiring it to periodically inspect the first private power pole on a property. This pole will be providing support to the Western Power service cable supplying electricity to the property.

Property owners have a duty of care to inspect, maintain and replace all of their private poles, including the first private power pole on a property.

The technical requirements and practices for the safe management of privately-owned power poles are detailed by State electricity safety regulator, Building and Energy.

If the private power pole is shared by neighbouring properties all property owners are responsible for its inspection, maintenance and replacement.

We advise you to contact your neighbours to agree on a course of action to make your shared private pole(s) safe.

Here are some common issues that will result in us issuing a defect notice for your private power pole:

• Termite related damage

• Rot, splitting, fire damage or cracks in wooden poles and cross arms

• Excessive leaning or instability of the pole

• Rusting/corrosion of metal poles, lattice/tripod structures, cross arms or attachments

• Physical damage of the pole, e.g. via impact, which affects structural integrity

Sawn timber poles (generally square section, often untreated) are not suitable for power poles as they are more prone to rot and structural deterioration.

Depending on the condition of the private power pole, you’ll have either 30 or 90 days to replace it.

We recommend you contact us to replace your pole with one compliant to Australian Standards within the advised timeframe otherwise for safety reasons we’ll need to disconnect your property until the installation is made safe.

If you’re a tenant at your property and receive a Private Power Pole Defect Notice, forward it to your landlord or property manager.

The private power pole is likely to be their responsibility to inspect, maintain and replace depending on the terms of your tenancy arrangement.