Protection for customers after termination
9Protection for domestic customers after termination of tariff cap conditions
(1)Before the tariff cap conditions have ceased to have effect as provided by section 8, and afterwards at such intervals as the Authority considers appropriate, the Authority must carry out a review into—
(a)the pricing practices of holders of supply licences for the supply of gas and electricity under domestic supply contracts, and
(b)whether there are categories of domestic customers paying, or who may in the future pay, standard variable and default rates for whom protection against excessive charges should be provided.
(2)Such a review must, among other things, consider—
(a)whether there are domestic customers who the Authority considers will suffer an excessive tariff differential where on the termination of fixed rates the customers move to standard variable or default rates, and
(b)whether customers who appear to the Authority to be vulnerable by reason of their financial or other circumstances are in need of protection.
(3)If the review concludes that protection should be provided, the Authority must take such steps as it considers appropriate by the exercise of its functions under the Gas Act 1986 and the Electricity Act 1989.