Territorial Extent and Territorial Application Northern Ireland Powers of investigation Section 13: Investigation of complaints relating to disconnection of gas or electricity
55.Section 13 provides that a gas consumer may complain to the Council where the consumer’s premises are disconnected or cut off by a gas transporter or gas supplier (or such action is threatened); where the gas transporter or supplier refuses to reconnect the consumer’s premises; or where there is a failure of a prepayment system. Similarly, an electricity consumer may complain to the Council where his premises are disconnected or threatened with disconnection by an electricity distributor, supplier or transmission licence holder; where the supplier etc refuses to reconnect the consumer’s premises; or where there is a failure of a prepayment system. The Council must investigate any complaint made by the consumer, and must, if it thinks it appropriate, provide advice to the consumer or make representations to the supplier, distributor, transporter or transmission licence holder on behalf of the consumer.
56.The Council may refuse to investigate a complaint in certain circumstances (specified in subsections (4) and (5)).