Flogas Natural Gas Codes of Practice

Billing• In exceptional circumstances your bill might be

delayed, if this happens we will let you know of the delay no later than 10 days from when we become aware of the delay

• In the event of a billing complaint arising, it will be resolved through our Complaints Procedure which is outlined below in our Code of Practice for complaints

Content Of BillYour bill will contain the information relevant to you:

Account Number, you will need this number when contacting our customer service team

Meter Number, this number is the identifier for your physical Meter at the time your bill is issued

Billing Address, this is the address the bill is sent to you

Gas Supply Address, this is the address where the gas has been consumed if it is different to your billing address

GPRN, this is your Gas Point Registration Number which is the identifier of your address at the time of billing

AC Band, this is your consumption band and is an estimate of the amount of gas you will use within the gas year. The range of Bands are A (less than 6,000kWh) B (between 6,000 & 23,500kWh), C (between 23,500 & 73,000kWh), Y (between 73,000kWh & 750 Mega Watt Hour (mWh)s)

Meter Reading, this refers to the present and previous readings from your meter. The present reading will show the type of reading, E (estimated), A (actual), C (customer), F (final)

Units, this refers to the number of units you have consumed in Cubic Meters on your bill

Conversion factor, refers to the factor Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) notify us to use when converting Cubic Meters to kWh.

kWh, this is the figure in kilowatt hours which you are billed for

Supply Charge, the supply charge is the daily standing charge on your account for the billing period

Additional information will be included on the bill to assist you with payment and/or queries.

• We will bill you bi-monthly. This bill will be based on the actual or estimated meter reading received from Gas Networks Ireland, unless we have made another arrangement with you

• If you are a PAYG customer we will send you a statement every quarter

• We will bill you for the gas you have used at the correct rate for your account. If there has been a price change during the billing period this will be shown on your bill and we will let you know of a price change in advance

Closing an Account & Final Bill IssuanceIf you are moving premise or closing your account with Flogas, you must give us your closing meter reading on the day you wish to close your account.

If you are moving or closing your account whilst our office is closed you can call us on the following working day or complete the account closure form on our website www.flogasnaturalgas.ie.

If you cannot provide us with a final meter reading and/or fail to accept the reading proposed by Flogas you will be charged an administration fee of €50 to cover the charge of a Gas Networks Ireland unscheduled read.

If you have closed your account or changed supplier we will issue your final bill no later than six weeks from the date of the request.

Vulnerable CustomersFor the purpose of this Code, a Vulnerable Customer is a customer who has self-registered with us on our vulnerable user register. Flogas guarantee that any customer who registers with us as vulnerable will have their details updated to show in the central database held by the GPRO (Gas Point Registrations Office).

A Vulnerable Customer is defined as a household customer who is particularly vulnerable to disconnection during winter months (1st November to the 31st of March) for reason of advanced age or physical, sensory, intellectual or mental health.

If you would like to be placed on the vulnerable customer register you can do so during sign up or at any stage by contacting our customer service team

We aim to offer all our customers the best possible service but understand that our vulnerable customers may require

Verbal Communications – we can provide verbal communication for customers who have a visual impairment

Large Print Communication – we can provide communication in large print for customers with a visual impairment

Online Communications – we can provide online communication for customers with a hearing impairment

Redirecting Communication – a customer can nominate another party for communications if they have difficulty in communicating with us directly. You can do this by contacting us in writing with the contact details of the nominated person

Payment of BillsYou will be given 14 days to pay your bill

Payment Methods

• Direct Debit (including Budget Plan Direct Debit)

• Cheque

• Credit Card

• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

• At any Post Office or Retail Outlet displaying the ‘Postpoint’ sign

Security Deposit

• All new tenant customers operating on a Direct Debit are required to pay a security deposit of €100 and a security deposit of €250 if no direct debit is provided

• Any residential customer who cancels their Direct Debit are immediately required to provide a deposit

The deposit is refunded to you when:

(a) your account is closed and any outstanding balance settled or

(b) you remain within normal credit terms for a minimum of 12 months ie. invoices paid in full within 14 days (No disconnections or defaults from any pay plan, Direct Debit or payment options).

Disconnection of Gas SupplyWe are committed to working together with our customers to ensure that disconnection of supply is only exercised as a last resort. We will fully support and encourage the engagement process with our customers in order to work to a mutually acceptable and manageable agreement which will allow customers pay for their gas whilst maintaining supply.

Should you find yourself in financial difficulty we will listen and work with you to find a suitable solution for your energy needs. We have a number of options for customers in difficulty which will include the offer to install a Pay As You Go meter free of charge to anyone facing disconnection of supply. We will also facilitate engagement with third parties you have nominated in relation to your account, for example MABS.

Reasons for disconnection

• Failure to pay your bills or failure to honour a re-payment plan

• Failure to provide the required security deposit

• Safety or Emergency Situations

• No registered occupant

• Account holder request

Flogas will not request a disconnection

• Where a customer has entered into a payment plan and is honouring the arrangement

• Where a customer is pursuing a complaint using the complaint handling procedures and the complaint is related to the reason for disconnection. A customer pursuing a complaint in this manner will be required to pay any portion of the bill that is not in dispute and any subsequent bill that is issued

• For failure to pay a bill based on a regular estimate unless it is fair and reasonable in the circumstances

• During the winter months (1st November to 31st March) where a person is appropriately registered with Flogas as a Vulnerable Customer

• Where a customer is a member of any category that the CRU may specify from time to time

• For failure to pay a bill which is not related to the supply of Natural Gas

Disconnection Notice

• In the event that gas bills and/or Security Deposits remain unpaid, your account may be selected for disconnection

• Should this occur Flogas will issue you with a Notice of Disconnection

• This notice will give you 10 working days (domestic customers) notice of our intention to request your disconnection (5 working days commercial customers)

• We will give you contact details for our credit control department if you wish to make immediate payment or enter into a payment arrangement with Flogas

• In addition to this notice we will have issued to you at least one other letter and made at least two other attempts to contact you. All of the correspondence prior to the disconnection will be at least 3 working days apart

Disconnection of a premises with no Registered Account Holder

• Where Flogas are supplying a property and the existing account holder has closed their account, Flogas will issue a notice (10 working days in advance), in writing by letter, to the new occupant of the property in advance of a request to disconnect the property due to no new account holder being registered

• This notice will set out the actual costs which will be incurred to disconnect the premises and the contract details for the new occupier to open an account

ReconnectionA customer who has been disconnected will only be reconnected when:

• All outstanding payments, including the reconnection fee, have been made, or a repayment plan has been agreed

• A security bond or other means of ensuring that disconnection for non-payment will not occur in the future, has been entered into, as deemed appropriate by Flogas

• The required security deposit has been paid

Any security deposit paid to a customers account for reconnection will be treated the same as a normal deposit for the reason of refund.

If a customer has repeatedly been disconnected and reconnected, the customer may be subject to additional requirements (e.g. higher security bond, payment in advance) prior to reconnection. Any additional requirements will be determined by the Finance Director.

Complaints HandlingWe are committed to providing our valued customers with a high level of customer service. However, at times you may feel that we have not achieved this. This procedure details the steps you need to take to raise your concerns.

A complaint is defined as:

The expression (through various possible channels, letter, email, phone call, physical claim) of a customer’s dissatisfaction and his/her explicit expectation for a response or resolution.

Step 1

Please contact us and let us know what your issue is. You can contact us at 1850 306 800 or email info@flogas.ie. Alternatively you can contact us by letter, our postal address is: Flogas Natural Gas Ltd, Knockbrack House, Matthews Lane, Donore Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth, A92 T803.

We aim to resolve all complaints as quickly as possible and in the case of more complex complaints within 20 days. If you contact us by telephone, we aim to resolve your complaint during the course of the call.

If this is not possible we will provide you with a contact name and a time frame within which you will receive a response.

If you contact us in writing, we guarantee that we will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days of its receipt and we will respond within 20 working days.

In some cases it may not be possible to resolve your complaint within 20 working days. In these cases we will contact you and agree a time frame with you. Where this occurs we will contact you and give you regular updates. If we were at fault, we will apologise to you.

Step 2

If you believe we have not resolved your query you may request that it is escalated to our Customer Service Manager (CSM). Our CSM will review your case and issue a written response or closure of the complaint within 10 working days.

Step 3Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU)

If you believe we have not resolved your complaint you may refer your complaint to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) for further review. Where the CRU has issued a direction for compensation or redress Flogas will make payment to the customer within 14 days or within one billing period where compensation or redress is in the form of a credit to the customer’s account.

The CRU will only review your complaint if you have completed the full Flogas complaints process.

CRU Customer Care Team

Phone: 1890 404 404 Email: customercare@cru.ie

Post: The Customer Care Team, Commission for Regulation of Utilities, PO Box 11934, Tallaght, Dublin 24

Any decision made by the CRU will be implemented within 10 working days. If we fail to meet our Customer Charter commitments we will apply compensation within 10 working days. If we fail to meet our service commitments to you as outlined in our Code of Practice on Complaint Handling we will apply a compensation of €30 as per our Customer Charter

MarketingGeneral

• Flogas will ensure that marketing materials are accurate, easy to understand and specify clearly the product(s) and the period it covers

• Flogas will not misrepresent the company, or portray competing suppliers in an inaccurate or negative manner

• Should you wish to opt out of our marketing campaigns you can do so at any time by contacting our customer service team

• All Flogas representatives and customer service agents are fully trained in our products and services and they will ensure accurate information is provided

• Telephone calls and visits to premises of domestic customers by staff (or others) for marketing purposes will only take place during the following times: Monday to Friday: 9am to 9pm Saturdays: 9am to 7pm

Marketing by TelephoneMarketing staff will give the following information as soon as it is practical:

• Caller’s name

• Contact number (if requested by customer)

• Company on whose behalf the call is being made (Flogas Natural Gas)

• Purpose of the call

• Give you the opportunity to end the conversation at any time

• If a customer indicates at any time that he/she does not wish to continue, the call will cease (the customer will be asked if they wish to be taken off the marketing contact list)

Marketing at Customer’s PremisesStaff (or others) involved in marketing at the customer’s premises must:

• Show the customer their photographic identity card

• Inform the customer of the purpose of the visit

• Ask the customer if they wish to proceed

• If the customer does not wish to proceed, the visit will terminate, and the customer will be advised on how to be removed from the contact list

• Provide the customer with a copy of the Doorstep Checklist prior to the commencement of the sales pitch and in advance of any sale being progressed

Marketing via Email/SMS Existing CustomersThe following information will be provided:

• Flogas Natural Gas name, address

• Email and/or contact number

The customer will be provided with a method of unsubscribing at no cost to them. In order to understand your needs and provide you with a better service we will use your personal data for the legitimate interests of our business as mentioned in our Privacy Policy.

Potential Customers

• Email and SMS marketing targeted at potential customers will be carried out in accordance with S.I. 336 of 2011 - European Communities (Electronic Communications Network & Services) (Privacy and Electronic Communications) Regulations 2011.

Maintenance of Customer Contact List/ Removal of Customer

If a customer indicates (orally, in writing, or by e-mail) that they do not wish to be contacted again for marketing purposes, the customer will be removed from the contact list, or suitably flagged, within 28 days, to ensure that they are not contacted again.

If requested by the customer, written confirmation will be provided within 40 days of receiving the request (in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Acts 1988-2003).

If an external supplier is used for marketing, all requests for removal will be forwarded to the supplier.

Protection of Customer Data

• Flogas Natural Gas will act in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988-2003 at all times

• Customer data will be used only for those purposes related to the supply of natural gas and as authorised by the customer

Customer data will not be passed on to third parties, with the following exceptions:

• Data supplied to Gas Networks Ireland

• Other authorised suppliers of Flogas Natural Gas

In these cases, only data necessary for the carrying out of the appropriate supplier activities will be provided.

Further details on the Flogas Natural Gas Data Protection Policies and Procedures are contained in our Privacy Notice.

Pay As You Go Metering (PAYG)If you are experiencing financial difficulty in paying your account you may be offered a Pay as You Go Meter by our customer service team. The PAYG meter is prepaid so there is no requirement for a security deposit or direct debit before installation of the meter. The PAYG allows you to pay for the gas you use as you are using it and can also be a useful tool in managing your arrears.

Before we can agree to arrange for the installation of a PAYG we must ensure that it is suitable for you and that you will have easy access to both the meter and the outlet where you will need to purchase your gas credit. We will also confirm to you the rate that you will be charged on the meter and if required any debt recovery rate which may be applied to you.

PAYG customers will not receive a normal bi-monthly bill, instead you will receive a quarterly statement which will show any balance you currently have on your account, the amount of gas you have used in the period and the amount of credit you have purchased in the period.

If you have arrears on your account we can add these arrears to your PAYG meter. By doing this you can then repay the arrears over a period of time. The repayment will be taken at a rate of 25% from the credit top up you purchase.

Full details in relation to the tariff structure on our Pay As You Go Meters are available on our website at www.flogasnaturalgas.ie

You can purchase top up credits at any outlet showing the payzone sign when you present your gas card, further details of the location of these outlets can be obtained at www.payzone.ie/outlets. Please note that using an unauthorised vending facility may cause difficulty with your supply.

When your meter is installed the engineer will give you a gas card and will show you how to operate your new meter.

You will also receive a manual should you have a query after the engineer leaves. Should you misplace your gas card you may buy a new card at an authorised payzone outlet at a cost of €1.

Should you run out of credit your PAYG meter contains €5.00 emergency credit. You can borrow this emergency credit until you next top up your meter. You should remember that once you borrow the emergency credit you must repay the whole amount before you can borrow any of it again.

Should you have a credit owing to you we can arrange for this credit to be applied to your PAYG meter. You will need to present your Gas Card to a payzone outlet and ask to complete a credit update. The minimum refund credit limit is €15. Further details in relation to credit refunds including the request of same can be done by calling our Customer Service Team.

Customers whom are registered on Vulnerable Customer Register can avail of the option to stop the shutdown of the meter in the winter months in line with the regulations as set by the CRU for Vulnerable Customers. You can receive more information on this or apply to our Vulnerable Customer Register by contacting our Customer Service Team.

Should you close your account and have a debt owing you will be required to make an alternate arrangement of payment. Further details on our payment options can be obtained from our Customer Service Team.

Should you have any queries on PAYG meters or if you are not suitable for a PAYG meter you can contact our Customer Service Team on 1850 306 800 and we will discuss all other options available to you to assist manage your account and offer advice on third party agencies which may be of assistance.

Issue Number 200218

For more information please contact:

FLOGAS NATURAL GAS LTDKnockbrack House, Matthews Lane, Donore Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A92 T803.

T: 1850 306 800 E: info@flogas.ie

www.flogas.ie