What Is a Letter of Authority (LOA)?

If you've ever worked with an energy broker, you've probably been asked to sign a Letter of Authority before anything else happens. It's a short document, but it's the thing that makes the whole process possible. Here's what it is, what it allows, and what it doesn't.

What is a Letter of Authority?

A Letter of Authority (LOA) is a signed document that gives a broker permission to access your energy account information and go to market on your behalf. It does not transfer ownership of your account, commit you to anything, or allow your broker to sign contracts in your name. Any agreement that comes from the process requires your review and signature before it goes anywhere.

Without one, retailers won't speak to your broker. They need written confirmation that you've authorised the relationship before they'll release any account data or respond to pricing requests.

What does signing an LOA actually allow?

When you sign a CNI Energy LOA, you're authorising us to do the following on your behalf:

Obtain account information from your electricity, gas, metering, and network service providers to identify cost saving opportunities. Request quotes, tender, and negotiate with retailers and utility service providers. Investigate potential network tariff anomalies at your site or sites. Manage your account with your chosen retailer for the duration of any agreement you choose to enter.

Any contract that results from the tender process requires your review and signature. That's by design. You stay in control of the final decision.

What does it not allow?

Signing an LOA does not mean you've agreed to switch retailers. It does not lock you into anything. It simply opens the door for your broker to do the groundwork. If the offers that come back don't stack up, you're under no obligation to proceed.

Who needs to sign it?

The signatory needs to be someone with legal authority to represent the business. For a company, that's typically the business owner or a director. Retailers will sometimes verify the signatory's role before accepting the document.

How do we use it at CNI Energy?

In most cases, we send an LOA via PandaDoc. You sign electronically and we handle the rest. Once signed, we can request your billing data directly from your retailer, which means you don't need to dig out old invoices or track down account numbers.

For businesses with multiple sites, a single LOA can cover all NMIs listed on the document.

Is it safe to sign?

Yes. An LOA is a standard document used across the energy industry in Australia. It gives access to account information only, not financial control. We follow a transparent disclosure policy: for commercial clients, all fees and incentives are disclosed in the offers we present.

If you have questions about anything in the document before signing, we're happy to walk you through it.