Notify School and Transfer Utilities After Divorce Victoria

School and Childcare Notifications

Both parents retain equal rights to receive school information and access student records unless a court order restricts one parent's access. But the school doesn't know your circumstances have changed unless you tell them.

Contact the school office (or childcare centre) and update:

• Emergency contacts — remove your former spouse if appropriate, add alternative contacts
• Pickup authorisation — confirm who is authorised to collect children and under what circumstances
• Communication preferences — request that school newsletters, report cards, and fee invoices are sent to both parents separately rather than to a single household address
• Family name changes — if your child's surname has changed (with both parents' consent or a court order), provide the BDM change of name certificate

You don't need to provide the school with details about your property settlement or the reasons for the divorce. A brief letter confirming the change in family circumstances, the updated contact details for each parent, and any parenting order provisions relevant to the school (such as pickup schedules or prohibited contacts) is sufficient.

If there are parenting orders that restrict the other parent's access to the child at school — for example, an intervention order or a parenting order specifying supervised contact only — provide the school with a sealed copy of the order so they can comply.

Utility Accounts

The person whose name is on the bill is the person liable for the debt. If you're staying in the family home, transfer utility accounts into your name to avoid being chased for your former spouse's unpaid bills — or having services disconnected because your former spouse stopped paying.

Electricity, gas, and water — Contact each provider and request a transfer of the account into the sole name of the occupying party. Most providers require the outgoing party to authorise the closure of their account, though if you're the property owner you can typically open a new account in your name without the former occupier's cooperation. Request a final meter read on the changeover date so the balance is split fairly.

Internet and phone — If the contract is in your former spouse's name, you'll usually need to start a new contract rather than transfer. Check minimum contract terms and early termination fees before cancelling.

Council rates — Victorian council rates follow the property, not the person. If you're keeping the home, contact your local council to update the ratepayer name. If the property is being sold as part of the settlement, rates are typically adjusted at settlement and handled by the conveyancer.

The Order That Avoids Billing Gaps

1. Agree who stays in the home — this determines who needs accounts in their name
2. Open new accounts in the occupying party's name (if the existing accounts can't be transferred)
3. Request final meter reads on the changeover date
4. Close or transfer the old accounts once the new ones are active
5. Update council rate records with the ratepayer name change

Don't close the old accounts before opening new ones — a gap in service means reconnection fees and potential delays, particularly for water and gas which can require physical appointments.

Insurance

While you're updating accounts, check your insurance policies:

• Home and contents insurance — update the insured party name and adjust the sum insured if household contents have been divided
• Car insurance — remove your former spouse as a named driver (or add them if they're keeping a jointly insured vehicle)
• Private health insurance — if you were on a couple or family policy, switch to a singles policy to avoid paying for cover you're not using, and ask the insurer about any applicable premium or cover deadlines

The Victoria After-Divorce Checklist includes pre-drafted notification letters for schools, utility providers, and insurance companies — so you work through the list once without writing each letter from scratch.

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