Summary

• What is a Long Term Vacant Site?

• Do Suppliers have to Classify Sites as Long Term Vacant?

• What criteria must be met to classify a site as Long Term Vacant?

• Does a Supplier have to do anything to Continue Classifying a Site as Long Term Vacant?

• When Must a Supplier Cease Classifying a Site as Long Term Vacant?; and

• What Readings are used at the Start and End of the Process?

• How Will Suppliers’ Classification of Long Term Vacant Sites be reviewed by the BSC Audit?

• How will NHHDCs know how to use ‘Site Visit Check Codes’ Correctly so that Sites are Identified as Long Term Vacant Accurately?

• How does the Long Term Vacant Site Process Interact with other Industry Processes?

What is a Long Term Vacant Site?

Do Suppliers have to Classify Sites as Long Term Vacant?

• The Supplier must have received two D0004 - ‘Notification of failure to obtain reading’ flows, with the data item J0024, ‘Site Visit Check Code’ populated with ‘02’ - ‘Site not occupied’¹. These must be received more than three calendar months apart, but less than seven months apart.

• The Supplier must not have received a D0004 with the J0024 data item populated with anything other than the following codes in between the receipt of these two D0004 flows;

• The Supplier must not have received Meter Register Readings for the Metering System which indicate consumption;

• There must be no sign of consumption on the site.

• Extra attempts to contact the owner through multiple ways e.g. telephone, post, email;

• Attempting to contact the local estate agent or local authority; and

• If the Supplier also supplies the gas, checking for a similar situation with gas consumption.

Does a Supplier have to do anything to Continue Classifying a Site as Long Term Vacant?

• The Supplier must continue to receive D0004 flows, with the ‘Site Visit Check Code’ populated with ‘02’ - ‘Site not occupied’ at least once every seven months;

• The Supplier must not receive a D0004 from the Non Half Hourly Data Collector (NHHDC) with the J0024 data item populated with anything other than the following codes since the site was registered as Long Term Vacant:

• The Supplier must not receive Meter Register Readings for the Metering System.

• The Supplier must continue to make proactive attempts at least once every seven months to try and obtain a meter reading.

When Must a Supplier Cease Classifying a Site as Long Term Vacant?

What Readings are used at the Start and End of the Process?

How Will Suppliers’ Classification of Long Term Vacant Sites be reviewed by the BSC Audit?

How will NHHDCs know how to use ‘Site Visit Check Codes’ Correctly so that Sites are Identified as Long Term Vacant Accurately?

Use of the Site Visit Check Code 02 (site not occupied)

• Property is derelict;

• Site is boarded up;

• No furniture / fittings;

• Uncollected post;

• New property that is empty.

• Energy is being consumed on the site, including meter advances on a gas meter that is accessible (use Site Visit Check Code 20 instead);

• Site has been demolished (use Site Visit Check Code 35 instead);

• Site is suspected to be demolished (use Site Visit Check Code 34 instead);

• Site is unmanned e.g. a mobile phone mast (use Site Visit Check Code 37 instead);

• Site is a Holiday let, (use Site Visit Check Code 20 instead);

• Site is undergoing building works and is uninhabited, (use Site Visit Check Code 20 instead).

Use of Site Visit Check Code 20 (no access)

• There is no answer when calling;

• Site is a Holiday let and nobody is in;

• Site is undergoing building works and is uninhabited;

• Site appears to be inhabited.

• No access as De-energised (use Site Visit Check Code 04 instead);

• Property demolished (use Site Visit Check Code 35 instead);

• Site is suspected to be demolished (use Site Visit Check Code 34 instead);

• Site is unmanned premise e.g. mobile phone mast (use Site Visit Check Code 37 instead);

• Meter is blocked and cannot read display use Site Visit Check Code 22 instead);

• Customer will not allow access to meter (use Site Visit Check Code 21 instead);

• Premises are locked and there is no key or code to gain access (use Site Visit Check Code 38 instead);

• Site is unsafe and unable to access meter (use Site Visit Check Code 18 instead).

How does the Long Term Vacant Site Process Interact with other Industry Processes?

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