SSE Airtricity’s Code of Practice on Billing and Disconnection sets out our processes in relation billing, communication of billing information, payment of account, deposit, refund of deposit, credit owed to customers and disconnection

We will send you a bill every two months unless alternative arrangements have been agreed with you. If you are Interval Quarterly Hour or Half Hourly customer, We will bill you every month.

Your bills will show whether we are billing you for gas or electricity and if they are based on an actual read, an estimate or a read you sent us. On your bill (A) = Actual Meter Read, (E) = Estimated Meter Read and (C) = Customer Meter Read.

In order to improve the accuracy of your bills it is important to ensure that the designated meter operator for Gas and Electricity can gain access to your meter, or that customers provide meter readings frequently. To assist with this we will, free of charge, remind you by SMS or email alert to submit meter readings for your account. You can opt out of receiving these alerts on your Business Online account or by contacting our dedicated Customer Service Team by web chat at sseairtricity.com/business, by calling us on 0818 81 21 44 or by email at BusinessEnergy@sseairtricity.com.

We will bill you for your energy usage at the agreed price.

If there is a price change, we will indicate this on your bill.

Your bill will also show the period to which the bill relates, the date of issue, the date your payment is due and any outstanding balances.

Every effort will be made to bill you on time, but in exceptional circumstances – for example, if your bill is unexpectedly delayed by more than 30 days - we will attempt to contact you to let you know the reason for the delay when we become aware of this.

Payments will be allocated against the oldest balance on your account regardless of single fuel or dual fuel unless otherwise instructed by you.

Payment Options:

We like to offer customers a variety of ways to pay their bills. Options available include direct debit, debit/credit card, standing order, bank draft, Payzone, Paypoint, Post Office and cheque. Customers can also pay online at sseairtricity.com

If you pay by direct debit, we will notify you 14 days in advance if there is any change in the amount to be debited unless otherwise agreed with you.

Pro-rating:

If there was a tariff change during your billing period, you will see your consumption split between usage before and after the tariff change date. We calculate this by dividing your consumption by the number of days used in that billing period and finding the average usage per day. This figure is used to calculate the charges prior to, and after the date of the tariff change on your bill.

If you have any enquiries in relation to any element of your bills please contact our dedicated Customer Service Team on 0818 81 21 44, by email at businessenergy@sseairtricity.com or via webchat at sseairtricity.com/business our team is available Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 5:30pm.

Closing Accounts:

Moving Premises

When moving premises call us on 0818 81 21 44 or email businessenergy@sseairtricity.com on your last day to ensure your final meter reading and bill are as accurate as possible.

It is the responsibility of the account holder to provide us with a correct meter reading on their day of departure. If the account holder is a tenant and does not provide a meter reading it is the responsibility of the landlord to provide a closing read.

If you’re moving over the weekend you can call us on the following Monday. Please don’t forget to tell us though as you’ll be responsible for all charges at your old address until we’ve been notified that you’ve left.

Changing Supplier

If you change suppliers, we will send you your final bill from the date that you change supplier and will close your account within 6 weeks, provided your account has been paid in full.

Refunds

If your balance shows a minus figure on your final bill you may be due a refund. Please contact our Customer Service Team on 0818 81 21 44 to discuss how you would like this refunded. (If your account includes multiple properties, credit balances may be transferred to offset debt against your overall outstanding balance).

Security Deposit

SSE Airtricity may request a security deposit on any new or existing energy supply accounts, if your business does not meet the SSE Airtricity credit checking criteria. This credit check includes, but is not limited to;

1. Company Registrations Office (CRO) Information
2. Previous Credit Information
3. Industry type
4. Energy Usage
5. Your Payment Method

Existing customers may be asked for a Security deposit, or an increase in the current Security Deposit amount, during the term of supply or upon renewal. The value of which will be assessed and decided, based on the criteria mentioned above, as well as payment history throughout the supply period. This deposit will be held until the account is closed, and will be offset against the final invoice. SSE Airtricity reserves the right to make any amendments to the credit check requirements based on the customer’s credit history/information. Any requested Security Deposit must be paid within 14 days, failure to do so may result in cancelation of your contract and your energy supply withdrawn.

Disconnections

SSE Airtricity is committed to engaging and working with customers who are having difficulty paying bills. We consider disconnection of supply a last resort and only after we’ve exhausted all other payment recovery avenues.

If you are worried about bills or money you owe us, please talk to us. Together we can come to an arrangement that allows you manage your bills. We are committed to helping you if you are experiencing genuine difficulties in paying your energy bills and, where appropriate, will offer an arrangement to pay an agreed amount by instalments.

In the event where agreement cannot be reached, we’ll request a disconnection. If you are a dual fuel customer you will have the option of selecting which fuel we disconnect first.

Reasons for disconnection of supply

1. We have no current contract in place with the company/ consumer for a particular premises following 14 day’s notice in writing from us.
2. We are requested on behalf of the customer, to withdraw the supply from a particular premise.
3. Power may be disconnected for safety reasons.

The contracted consumer/company at an SSE Airtricity supplied premise fails to pay bills relating to the supply of electricity/gas within the agreed credit terms stated in SSE Airtricity’s supply contract and in the absence of a mutually agreeable payment arrangement.

Notice of disconnection of supply for no contract

Where a previous occupier has closed their account for a property and they have moved out, we need to know when a new occupier moves in. If you have recently moved in you must contact us on 0818 81 21 44 as you are now responsible for paying the energy bill. Failure to do this may result in disconnection of supply.

1. We will advise you in writing that a contract is required. This postcard will also give 14 days’ notice of disconnection.
2. To give you every opportunity to avoid disconnection, we will attempt to phone you during the new occupancy period, if details are available to us.
3. It is the responsibility of the owner/occupier to register the account.
4. If after this point we still do not have a contract in place, we will request the disconnection of supply for the premises.

Notice of disconnection of supply for non payment

We consider the disconnection of supply due to unpaid bills a last resort. Our first preference is to work with you on a suitable payment arrangement that will allow you to address the issue. In doing this we will take your ability to pay into consideration and find the best solution for you.

The following reminder notice types may be given to customers in arrears prior to disconnection and are based on days overdue past our standard credit terms of 14 days:

1. Reminder letters,
2. Collection calls,
3. Disconnection call and
4. Disconnection notice

A disconnection notice will be sent to you in writing at least 5 working days before a request to the meter operator has been made to disconnect the energy supply.

Where we have been made aware that your business has gone into liquidation or receivership this notice period will be reduced to 2 working days

We are committed to entering into mutually acceptable payment arrangements at any stage during this cycle, taking your ability to pay and current consumption into consideration at all times.

We will not disconnect where:

1. You have entered into a mutually acceptable payment arrangement and you are adhering to the conditions of that arrangement.
2. You have a genuine, open complaint with SSE Airtricity or the CRU, which directly relates to a debit on your account (all other charges must be paid in full).
3. In the event that a customer is disputing a bill the above only applies to the disputed bill and not to any previous or subsequent bills, which must be paid as normal.
4. Failure to pay a bill that is not relating to gas or electricity for example payment for energy related services.
5. We aim to work with our customers to ensure that disconnection periods are as short as possible. Reconnection for no contract and non-payment will proceed in the following ways:

Reconnection for no contract

We will initiate reconnection once the contract has been signed and any associated disconnection and reconnection fees are paid in full, as well as any security deposit, if applicable.

Reconnection for non payment

We will initiate reconnection as soon as an agreeable percentage of the arrears is paid, along with any associated disconnection and reconnection costs, and a payment plan is agreed for the remaining balance (note in the case of historical payment problems or high risk companies, the full balance plus any associated fees must be paid up front) as well as any security deposit, if applicable.

For queries in relation to disconnection or reconnections please call our dedicated Credit Management Team on: 0818 88 23 32.

You can read our full Code of Practice document here.