Electricity Act 1989

Recovery of electricity charges etc.

1(1)Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, a public electricity supplier may recover from a tariff customer any charges due to him in respect of the supply of electricity, or in respect of the provision of any electricity meter, electric line or electrical plant.

(2)A public electricity supplier who, for the purpose of meeting the needs of a disabled person—

(a)alters the position of any electricity meter which has been provided by him; or

(b)replaces such a meter with one which has been specially adapted,

shall not make any charge for the alteration or replacement; and section 23 of this Act shall apply in relation to any dispute arising under this sub-paragraph as if it were a dispute arising under sections 16 to 22 of this Act.

(3)If a tariff customer quits any premises at which electricity has been supplied to him by a public electricity supplier without giving notice thereof to the supplier so that it is received by the supplier at least two working days before he quits the premises, he shall be liable to pay the supplier all charges in respect of the supply of electricity to the premises accruing due up to whichever of the following first occurs, namely—

(a)the second working day after he gives such notice to the supplier;

(b)the next day on which the register of any meter falls to be ascertained; and

(c)the day from which any subsequent occupier of the premises requires the supplier to supply electricity to the premises.

(4)Sub-paragraph (3) above, or a statement of the effect thereof, shall be endorsed upon every demand note for electricity charges payable to a public electricity supplier by a tariff customer.

(5)If a tariff customer quits any premises at which electricity has been supplied to him by a public electricity supplier without paying all charges due from him in respect of the supply, or the provision of any electricity meter, electric line or electrical plant for the purposes of the supply, the supplier—

(a)may refuse to furnish him with a supply of electricity at any other premises until he pays the amount due; but

(b)shall not be entitled to require payment of that amount from the next occupier of the premises.

(6)If a tariff customer has not, within the requisite period, paid all charges due from him to a public electricity supplier in respect of the supply of electricity to any premises, or the provision of any electricity meter, electric line or electrical plant for the purposes of that supply, the supplier, after the expiration of not less than two working days' notice of his intention, may—

(a)cut off the supply to the premises, or to any other premises occupied by the customer, by such means as he thinks fit; and

(b)recover any expenses incurred in so doing from the customer.

(7)In sub-paragraph (6) above “the requisite period” means—

(a)in the case of premises which are used wholly or mainly for domestic purposes, the period of 20 working days after the making by the supplier of a demand in writing for payment of the charges due; and

(b)in the case of any other premises, the period of 15 working days after the making of such a demand.

(8)The powers conferred by sub-paragraph (6) above shall also be exercisable at any time which, in relation to a tariff customer, is after—

(a)the effective date for the purposes of section 233 of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 (supplies of gas, water, electricity etc. to insolvent companies); or

(b)the relevant day for the purposes of section 372 of that Act or section 70 of the [1985 c. 66.] Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 (supplies of gas, water, electricity etc. to insolvent individuals).

(9)The powers conferred by sub-paragraph (6) above shall not be exercisable as respects any amount which is genuinely in dispute; but there shall be disregarded for this purpose any dispute arising under section 39 of this Act or regulations made under it.

(10)In this paragraph a reference to the provision of any electric line or item of electrical plant is a reference to the provision of such a line or item by the installation of a new one or by the modification of an existing one.