The Gas (Individual Standards of Performance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Appointments

6.—(1) This regulation applies where—

(a) a domestic customer informs the gas conveyor that the customer wishes the gas conveyor to visit the customer’s premises; or

(b) a domestic customer informs the gas supplier that the customer wishes the gas supplier to visit the customer’s premises; or

(c) the gas conveyor informs a domestic customer that the gas conveyor wishes to visit the customer’s premises; or

(d) the gas supplier informs a domestic customer that the gas supplier wishes to visit the customer’s premises,

being in any case a visit in connection with the activities which the gas conveyor or gas supplier is required or authorised to carry on under his licence which requires access to be afforded to his representative or for which it would otherwise be reasonable to expect the customer to be present.

(2) Where this regulation applies and the gas conveyor or gas supplier fails within a reasonable period from the applicable date to offer a timed appointment, the gas conveyor or gas supplier shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(3) Where this regulation applies and the gas conveyor or gas supplier fails to keep a timed appointment, the gas conveyor or gas supplier shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(4) Where a timed appointment is made for more than one purpose, the gas conveyor or gas supplier shall not be required to pay more than one prescribed sum under paragraph (3) in respect of that timed appointment.

(5) The circumstances described in this paragraph are—

(a) each of the circumstances described in regulation 15 provided that, in relation to paragraph (6) of that regulation, the gas conveyor or gas supplier gave the customer not less than one working days prior warning (whether or not in writing) that he would be unable to keep the timed appointment or the circumstances referred to in that paragraph occurred at a time when it was not reasonably practicable to give such a warning;

(b) that the visit is for the purpose of responding to information received under regulation 3 or 5; and

(c) that the visit is wholly or mainly in connection with disconnecting the premises.

(6) In this regulation, “timed appointment” means an appointment to make a visit to a customer’s premises commencing—

(a) unless sub-paragraph (b) applies, during a part (specified by the gas conveyor or gas supplier) of a day (also specified by the gas conveyor or gas supplier) within a reasonable period from the applicable date, having regard to the purpose of visit, being either a part which falls either wholly between eight thirty in the morning and one o’clock in the afternoon or wholly between noon and five o’clock in the afternoon; or

(b) during such part of a day as is requested by the customer and agreed with the gas conveyor or gas supplier, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld, provided that the relevant operator shall not be obliged to agree a part of a day that is less than two hours.