The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988

Discontinuance of supply in certain circumstances

28.—(1) Where a supplier, after making such examination as the circumstances permit, has reasonable grounds for supposing that a consumer’s installation or any part of it, including any supplier’s works situated on the consumer’s side of the supply terminals, fails to fulfil any relevant requirement of regulation 27, paragraphs (2) to (7) shall apply.

(2) Where, in an emergency, the supplier is satisfied that immediate action is justified in the interests of safety, he may without prior notice discontinue the supply to the consumer’s installation and notice in writing of the disconnection and the reasons for it shall be given to the consumer as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(3) Subject to paragraph (2), the supplier may, by notice in writing specifying the grounds, require the consumer within such reasonable time as the notice shall specify to comply with one or both of the following—

(a) to permit a person duly authorised by the supplier in writing to inspect and test the consumer’s installation or any part of it at a reasonable time;

(b) to take, or desist from, such action as may be necessary to correct or avoid undue interference with the supplier’s supply or apparatus or with the supply to, or the apparatus of, other consumers.

(4) In any of the circumstances specified in paragraph (5) the supplier may, on the expiry of the period specified in the notice referred to in paragraph (3), discontinue the supply to the consumer’s installation and shall give immediate notice in writing to the consumer of the discontinuance.

(5) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (4) are—

(a) that, after service of a notice under paragraph (3)(a), the consumer does not give facilities for inspection or testing; or

(b) in any Other case—

(i) after any such test or inspection the person authorised makes a report confirming that the consumer’s installation (or any part of it) fails to fulfil any relevant requirement of regulation 27; or

(ii) the consumer fails to show to the reasonable satisfaction of the supplier within the period so required that the matter complained of has been remedied or is the responsibility of the supplier.

(6) Any difference between the consumer and the supplier in relation to the grounds or the period specified in any notice of the kind mentioned in paragraph (3)(b) shall be determined in the manner provided by regulation 29.

(7) The supplier shall not discontinue the supply in pursuance of paragraph (4) pending the determination of any difference of the kind mentioned in paragraph (6), and shall not discontinue the supply to the whole of the consumer s installation where it is reasonable to disconnect only a portion of that installation in respect of which complaint is made.

(8) Where in pursuance of this regulation a supplier has disconnected the supply to a consumer’s installation (or any part of it) the supplier shall not recommence the supply unless—

(a) he is satisfied in respect of the consumer’s installation that the relevant requirements of regulation 27 have been fulfilled; or

(b) it has been determined in the manner provided by regulation 29 that the supplier is not entitled under regulation 27 to decline to recommence the supply,

and if he is so satisfied or it is so determined, the supplier shall forthwith recommence the supply.