Electricity (Standards of Performance) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Amendment of the Electricity (Standards of Performance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993

5.  After regulation 8 there shall be inserted the following regulations—

“Meter disputes

8A.— (1) This regulation applies where a supplier is informed by a customer—

(a) that the customer considers that an appropriate meter is or may have been operating outside the margins of error; or

(b) that circumstances exist which a supplier might reasonably expect to have been caused by the meter operating outside the margins or error.

(2) Where this regulation and paragraph (3) apply, and the supplier fails within the prescribed period from the commencement date to offer to visit the customer’s premises to investigate the matter during the specified time the supplier shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(3) This paragraph applies where the supplier is reasonably satisfied that he is unable to provide an explanation to the customer of the probable reason for the matters notified under paragraph (1) without visiting the customer’s premises.

(4) Where this regulation applies and the supplier—

(a) where paragraph (3) applies, fails to visit the customer’s premises during the specified time he shall pay to the customer the prescribed sum; or

(b) where paragraph (3) does not apply, fails to dispatch to the customer an explanation of the probable reason for the matter notified under paragraph (1) within the prescribed period from the receipt of the notice he shall pay to the customer the prescribed sum,

except in either case in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5).

(5) The circumstances described in this paragraph are each of the circumstances described in regulation 14 provided that, in relation to paragraph (6) of that regulation, the supplier gave the customer not less than one working day’s prior warning (whether or not in writing) that he would be unable to visit during the specified time or the circumstances in which that paragraph applied occurred at a time when it was not reasonably practicable to give such a warning.

Prepayment meters

8B.— (1) This regulation applies where a supplier is informed (other than by post) during working hours by a customer who takes his supply through a prepayment meter either that the prepayment meter is not operating so as to permit a supply to the customers premises in the manner in which it is designed to do, or if circumstances suggesting that the prepayment meter is not so operating.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), where information is received by a supplier outside working hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the commencement of the next following period of working hours.

(3) Where, within the prescribed period from the commencement date, an appropriate person fails to attend at the premises where the prepayment meter is installed in order to repair or replace the prepayment meter so as to permit a supply in the manner in which it is designed to do, the supplier shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (4), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(4) The circumstances described in this paragraph are—

(a) each of the circumstances described in regulation 14;

(b) that the customer did not request the supplier to attend the premises;

(c) that the customer did not request the supplier to restore the supply; and

(d) that the prepayment meter was found to be operating in the manner in which it was designed to do.

(5) In this regulation—

“appropriate person” means a person employed or authorised by a supplier to repair or replace prepayment meters; and

“working hours” means the period between the hours specified in Part II of the Schedule.”.