The Electricity (Standards of Performance) Regulations 1993

Estimate of charges

6.—(1) This regulation applies where—

(a) a customer gives a notice—

(i) under section 16(2) of the Act (including a notice modifying any previous notice); or

(ii) requesting that the position of the appropriate meter should be altered,

and requests that the supplier provides an estimate;

(b) the supply is to be provided at low voltage; and

(c) the supplier receives from the customer the information relating to the provision of the supply or the proposed new position of the meter which is or could reasonably be expected to be within the knowledge of the customer and is reasonably required by the supplier to enable him to provide the estimate.

(2) Where this regulation and paragraph (4) apply and the supplier fails to dispatch an estimate to the customer within the prescribed period from the commencement date, the supplier shall, except in any of the circumstances described in regulation 15, pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(3) Where this regulation, but not paragraph (4), applies and the supplier fails to dispatch an estimate to the customer within the prescribed period from the commencement date, the supplier shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(4) This paragraph applies where it is reasonable for the supplier to believe that it will not be necessary to carry out any significant work other than the provision of a service line, an appropriate meter and a supplier’s fuse to enable the supply to be given.

(5) The circumstances described' in this paragraph are—

(a) each of the circumstances described in regulation 15; and

(b) that the supplier reasonably believes that the premises referred to in the notice form or will form part of a development scheme comprising five or more premises.

(6) In this regulation—

“estimate” means a statement in writing of the amount which the supplier reasonably expects he will require the customer to pay under subsection (1) of section 19 of the Act or under regulations made under subsection (2) of that section having regard to the information which is known or ought reasonably be known by the supplier in relation to the carrying out of that work including—

(i) where the supplier reserves the right to vary the amount stated having regard to the actual costs incurred by him in carrying out the work, a reference to any matters which the supplier considers may cause the amount to be varied significantly; and

(ii) the terms for payment of the amount stated and any variation of that amount;

“low voltage” means a nominal voltage not exceeding 1,000 volts; and

“service line” means a low voltage electric line or any part of the line which will, at the time it is provided, only be used for supplying a single customer, excluding any part of the line which, at the time it is provided, is intended by the supplier to be used to enable him to provide a supply to premises (other than the customer’s premises) in respect of which the supplier has received or would reasonably expect within the following 12 months to receive a notice under section 16(2) of the Act.