Gas Connections A Guide to Our Services National Grid Gas Distribution
Contents What can we do for you? Pages 4-5 What will it cost? Pages 6-7 The next steps Pages 8-9 Feedback Pages 10-11 2
This customer guide tells you how to get a gas connection to your property, get your meter moved or have your gas supply removed. At National Grid our job is to connect people to the energy they use whether to heat and light homes or to keep factories, shops and businesses going. Our Gas Distribution business owns and operates four networks. These supply gas to about 11 million businesses, schools and homes and to the largest cities in England. National Grid Gas Networks East of England London North West West Midlands We offer these services to people in the following areas: East of England, London, North West and the West Midlands For more information watch our video on YouTube, Getting You Connected (UK Gas) 3
F What can we do for you? Our services What we do Our role is to lay the pipe that connects your property to our gas network and to keep it working properly. We call this pipe work services. We lay new services, move and alter existing services (including moving gas meters) and disconnect services when you no longer need them. We can also repair your existing meter box or provide spare parts. What we don t do National Grid only provides the pipes to your property for the gas to flow through. The gas in those pipes is owned by gas suppliers. New gas supply One of our main jobs is to connect your property to our network if you decide you need a gas supply. If you place an order with us to do this, we will: Lay a service pipe from the road or footpath to the most appropriate position for your meter (within 2m of the front-facing wall of your property). Provide and install the meter box or meter housing if the meter is to be on an outside wall, (unless you require a Built In type box which is excavated into the wall. You must provide and install this type of box). Dig the holes we need to lay our service pipe and then refill the holes and finish the top surface (or it might be cheaper for you to arrange this yourself). Permanent disconnection If you don t need your gas supply anymore, you can ask us to permanently disconnect it. First you ll need to get your gas supplier (the company you pay your gas bill to) to remove your gas meter. Then we can cut off the service pipe that supplies gas to your property. Usually we ll disconnect the pipe but won t remove it. However, you can get it removed if you want to after we ve confirmed that the pipe work has been disconnected. 4
Moving your meter and pipe work If you want your meter moved, we can do this for you. We can also make changes to the pipe that feeds your meter from the road. For example, we can relay it along a different route or give you a wider pipe that supplies more gas. If you place an order with us to do this we will: Move your service pipe to the new location. Provide and install the meter box or meter housing if the meter is to be on an outside wall, (unless you require a Built In type box which is excavated into the wall. You must provide and install this type of box). Move your existing meter and re-attach it to the service pipe, and reconnect your appliances back to the meter (or you can arrange this yourself.) Dig the holes we need to do the work and then refill the holes and finish the top surface. Meter box spares and repairs We can also supply spare parts (e.g. replacement doors, hinges etc.) for your meter box or repair it. We can only do this work if you have a domestic U6 size meter box the usual type in most homes. The meter size is usually located on the meter near the meter reading dial. For a U6 meter size the display will be either U6 or QMAX 6. Services provided by other organisations Providing you with a gas meter, changing or removing a gas meter and setting up a gas supply account To get gas in your home, you ll need to choose and sign up with a gas supplier. Their responsibilities are: Billing you for the gas you use. Fitting a gas meter. Arranging a replacement meter if you need something different. Removing your meter if you no longer need gas. Gas suppliers are licensed by the industry regulator, Ofgem. You can find details of suppliers on their website: www.ofgem.gov.uk. Installing appliances and the pipes from the meter to the appliances You ll need a Gas Safe registered engineer to install your appliances and the pipe work connecting your appliances (e.g. your gas fire or cooker) to the gas meter correctly. Go to the Gas Safe Register website to find one: www.gassaferegister.co.uk. If we re making a change to your gas connection, we can usually reattach your meter and reconnect your appliances to the meter as part of the job (you need to ask for this on your order). Alternatively, you can arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to reconnect your appliances, or ask your gas supplier to arrange it. 5
What will it cost? The price you pay will be made up of the various labour, materials and permits required to get your job finished. What you are paying for Our charges include all the costs for working from our mains network (usually in the road or footpath) up to the gas meter in your home. These costs are: The materials and equipment needed for the work. A qualified and professional team. Permits and other arrangements needed to work in the public highway. A site survey (where required). Administration costs. The cost of filling in any holes we need to dig and making everything neat and tidy. Standard charges Whenever possible, we ll use our standard charges to quote for your job (this usually saves time and helps to keep the price down). If your job is not eligible for our standard charges, we ll discuss the options and put together a quotation specifically for your job. Terms and conditions All quotations that we provide are subject to our terms and conditions. These are available on our website and will also be provided with your quotation. Further details Further details of our charges and the options available can be found on our website: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/gas/connectio ns/gasservices/servicecosts.htm Our terms and conditions are at: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/gas/connectio ns/gasservices/masterdocuments/terms+and +Conditions/ Due to their personal circumstances, some customers may be entitled to a free or discounted new gas service. For more information, please visit our website at: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/gas/connectio ns/gasservices/newgassupply/ 6
At National Grid, we believe in giving you great customer service. Our team is committed to making this happen. Applying for a quotation is simple, and can be completed online at: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/gas/connections/gasservices/ We ve made the online application form as simple to fill in as possible, and we ve put a range of tools and additional information on our website to help you. Online: If you d like help with completing the online application, please contact our dedicated Customer Centre Team. Just call 0870 903 9999 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) or email gasconnections@asknationalgrid.comgasconnections@asknationalgrid.com. Or request an application pack: To request an application pack by post, please call our Customer Centre Team on 0870 903 9999 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) or email gasconnections@asknationalgrid.comgasconnections@asknationalgrid.com. 7
The next steps After you have accepted the quotation Once you have accepted the quotation and provided payment, National Grid will start planning the work. What happens next after I accept my quotation and provide payment? First we ll decide whether to send a surveying team to talk through the work in more detail with you. We might need to do this if, for example, you live on or near a busy main road. We ll contact you promptly to arrange a convenient time to do this. Work on public roads We need permission from the local authorities to work on public roads. We can only start once we have permission, so this does occasionally cause a delay in completing the work. Planning your work We ll then contact you to agree a convenient date to start work, and send you a planning letter as confirmation. This will be within 20 working days of us receiving your acceptance and payment. The planning letter will show three key dates: Planned date when our team will begin work at your home. Meter Point Reference Number When we are installing a new gas service, you ll be given a unique Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN). You ll need to give your MPRN to your gas supplier before they can fit a meter at your home. When can I expect to get the work done? Although we always aim to keep delays to a minimum, it can be 6 to 8 weeks before we can start work after you accept our quotation and provide payment. This is due to the planning and permissions required. In some cases (e.g. if we have to arrange to close a road) it can take longer. Please bear these timescales in mind. After we ve confirmed the planned date with you, we ll next contact you about five days before the work is due to start. We ll call to confirm you re ready for us and that we can carry out the work agreed. If for some reason we can t start as agreed, please tell us when we call. We will be unable to do your work if there will be scaffolding erected at the site on the day of the work or if you have not completed tasks you are responsible for e.g. pre-excavating the route for the pipes (as per the quotation) or arranging gas meter removals. We ll postpone the start and agree a new date with you. Substantial completion date when the work on your gas service will be finished. Final completion date when everything will be finished, including filling in holes and tidying up after any digging work. 8
What happens on the day? Our team will arrive on the agreed day between 8am and 5pm. They ll introduce themselves and confirm what needs to be done. What you need to do We ll need access to your property, so it s important that you (or someone who can act on your behalf) is there while the work is taking place. Anyone acting on your behalf must have permission from you to agree any changes to the work including any additional charges if required. If your quotation does not include reconnection of the meter and appliances, you must arrange to have this work done by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer with meter qualifications. You must also arrange with your gas supplier if you need to change your gas meter. Please note you ll not have any gas until this part of the work is completed. Additional work Our team will plan your work based on our quotation (and any subsequent site survey). However, if they find that additional unplanned work is needed they may have to leave the site. We ll of course try to avoid this if possible. How long will the work take? This can vary greatly depending on the work required, although we always try to work quickly and efficiently. Most jobs are completed within 1 day, and we finish filling in holes and tidying up after any digging work (if you have not indicated you will do this yourself) within 5 working days. Reconnection For Service Alteration work, if you asked for it on your order, a separate team will reattach your meter to our pipe and reconnect your appliances to the meter on the same day that work on the service pipe has been completed. We ll only reconnect the meter and appliances with new copper pipe up to the maximum length of pipe you have requested and paid for. Please note you ll not have any gas until this part of the work is completed. Reinstatement At the end of the job, we ll arrange for a separate team to fill in holes and tidy up after any digging work (if you have asked for this and paid for it). This work will be completed within 5 working days of the work on your gas supply. Top surfaces will only be finished with tarmac, concrete, or with your existing slabs or bricks (we cannot guarantee the colour if any are broken during excavation and need replacement). If you require any other top surface you should arrange to pre-excavate the pipe route and refill the holes and top surface when we have finished the work on our pipes. 9
Frequently asked questions How long is my quotation valid for? Your quotation is valid for 45 calendar days from the date it is produced. Can I cancel once I have accepted the quote? Yes. However, we may have to charge for any work undertaken before you cancelled, which we ll tell you about in writing. I need to change some information on the quotation/works request Please contact us on 0870 903 9999. If necessary, we ll amend your quotation and either give you a refund or ask you to pay more, depending on the change in costs. How long will the work take? Normally we ll complete the work within one working day. However, it may take longer depending on the complexity of the job. Our team will discuss how long the work will take with you when they arrive on site. Why can t you do the work if there is scaffolding at my home? Scaffolding close to the work location can be a safety risk to both our engineers and the general public (we also need unrestricted access to your property). We ll need to reschedule the work for a new date, when the scaffolding and any other obstructions have been removed. Will I get a receipt/vat invoice for prepayment? Yes. We ll send you a down-payment invoice. This shows that we have received payment and can be used for VAT purposes. Do I need permission for the work? If you don t own the property you must obtain permission from the owner before we can do the work. National Grid will assume you have this permission as you have requested the work. I need to change the commencement date for my works. How do I do this? Please contact us on 0870 903 9999 as soon as possible so we can agree a new date. What time is the appointment? We ll arrive on site between 8am and 5pm. If possible, we ll call you on the day to confirm a more precise arrival time. What is consent? You must obtain written consent from the landowner if you want us to install gas service pipes or meter boxes on land you do not own. National Grid can provide a form for you to obtain this. In some circumstances legal consent may be required (an easement / wayleave) and this permission must be entered in your property deeds. National Grid will negotiate with the landowner and will add any related costs to your quotation. 10
Feedback We always aim to complete the work at your property in a safe, professional and efficient manner. We trust you ll be completely satisfied with the service we provide. You can rely on National Grid team members to: Be trained and qualified Be professional and polite Show identification when introducing themselves Park our vehicles safely Treat your home and property with care and respect Let you know if we need to restrict access to your property at any time Keep you updated and answer your questions as soon as possible Leave your home safe and tidy at the end of every visit Complete any requested reinstatement work within 5 working days (such as filling in holes and tidying up after digging work). Customer survey We ll give you a customer satisfaction survey after your job is completed. Please take a few moments to complete and return the survey. Your feedback is very important to us and helps us continually to improve the service we provide. We treat all feedback confidentially. Enquiries If you have any questions about our service, please contact our Customer Support Team on 0870 903 9999 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) or email gasconnections@asknationalgrid.com. 11
If you smell gas at any time, call the National Gas Emergency Number on: 0800 111 999* *All calls are recorded and may be monitored 12