Assistance and Advice

Provision of Information

5.1 Where the authorised person supplies a Relevant Consumer, the authorised person must ensure that the Relevant Consumer is provided with information in a Form and at a frequency that is sufficient to enable the Relevant Consumer to quickly and easily understand:

5.1.1 how to identify and contact the authorised person and, where different, the operator(s) of the applicable relevant heat network about a problem, question or any other request for assistance relating to the relevant heat networks by means of which (directly or indirectly) it is supplied. This includes queries, complaints, disputes and emergencies;

5.1.2 how to seek impartial advice from a Relevant Consumer Advice Body, and, as appropriate in the circumstances, the means of dispute settlement available in the event of a dispute, including how to identify and contact the Relevant Dispute Resolution Body; and

5.1.3 how to access appropriate assistance and advice. This includes information about:

(a) debt prevention and management;

(b) improving energy efficiency, including management of heating, cooling or hot

water usage and associated costs; and

(c) social, financial and energy efficiency programmes.

5.2 In complying with paragraph 5.1 the authorised person must take into account:

5.2.1 a Domestic Consumer's Personal Characteristics and features of its current Supply Contract; and

5.2.2 where appropriate, a Relevant Consumer's preferences for receiving communications.

Enquiry Service

5.3 The authorised person must provide, or procure the provision of, an enquiry service that enables a Relevant Consumer and/or an occupant of Domestic Premises which the authorised person supplies to contact it. As a minimum the enquiry service must:

5.3.1 offer a range of contact methods that meet the needs of the authorised person's Relevant Consumers and/or the occupants of Domestic Premises which the authorised person supplies, taking into account whether they may be in a Vulnerable Situation;

5.3.2 be available to receive enquiries and offer assistance, guidance, or advice at times that meet the needs of Relevant Consumers and/or the occupants of Domestic Premises which the authorised person supplies, taking into account whether they may be in a Vulnerable Situation; and

5.3.3 be available twenty-four (24) hours every day to receive enquiries from Relevant Consumers and/or occupants of Domestic Premises which the authorised person supplies who are experiencing an interruption in their supply.

5.4 When providing the enquiry service in paragraph 5.3, the authorised person must implement an appropriate service with processes to prioritise enquiries from persons in Vulnerable Situations (or any representative acting on their behalf), where appropriate due to their circumstances or Personal Characteristics.

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5.5 When providing the enquiry service the authorised person must implement appropriate processes to provide the enquiry service free of charge to all Relevant Consumers who are having or may have difficulty paying all or part of their Charges and to any occupant of a Domestic Premises which it supplies who may, due to their Personal Characteristics or otherwise, be in a Vulnerable Situation.

Publications

5.6 The authorised person must publish or signpost to:

5.6.1 relevant publications by the Authority and/or the Relevant Consumer Advice Bodies relating to the authorised person's services and reviews relating to the authorised person's services collated by third parties, as soon as possible after they become available; and

5.6.2 the latest version of any relevant guidance and/or advisory publications relating to heat networks published by the Authority and/or the Relevant Consumer Advice Bodies, within twenty-eight (28) days of the date on which that version is so published.

5.7 The publications referred to in paragraph 5.6 must be published or signposted to:

5.7.1 at an accessible and prominent location served by any relevant heat network by means of which the authorised person supplies Relevant Consumers;

5.7.2 on its Website (where appropriate); or

5.7.3 through an email or text message (with an appropriate link in each case) or by provision of a hard copy version (or other accessible format version where appropriate having due regard to a Relevant Consumer's communication preferences).

5.8 In addition to the above, the authorised person must inform a Relevant Consumer how the publications referred to in paragraph 5.6.2 can be accessed:

5.8.1 when the authorised person first begins supplying a Relevant Consumer or becomes (or should reasonably have been) aware that it is doing so; and

5.8.2 as soon as reasonably practicable after a Relevant Consumer requests it.

5.9 In addition to the above, the authorised person must provide (or, where not reasonable to provide, signpost to) a copy of any publication referred to in paragraph 5.6.2 to a Relevant Consumer annually free of charge and, where requested by a Relevant Consumer, in an accessible format.

Emergency

5.10 The authorised person must keep a Relevant Consumer informed:

5.10.1 that an emergency or a suspected emergency should be reported immediately;

and

5.10.2 of a telephone number which should be used for that purpose.

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