In 2013 the UKRPA launched a Protocol aimed at improving the communication and support between housing associations and energy companies. Following updates to the appearance and content including the Principles, information sharing requirements and parties’ contact details, a new version (1.5) has been released in January 2021.
The UKRPA Landlord Communications Protocol improves working practices in the pursuit of revenue protection objectives as well as improving safety standards, by seeking to raise awareness through education and provide a means of escalation between energy organisations and housing associations and trusts.
Simon Brown of Onward Homes, a Housing Association with around 30,000 homes and signatory to the Protocol, has said:
“Energy theft can kill and our staff and contractors are now fully trained to spot the giveaway signs of energy theft which supports our zero tolerance approach to meter tampering.
The introduction of the protocol demonstrates our commitment to working collaboratively with key partners to detect and report energy theft.”
The UKRPA produced an article published in the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) November 2020 ‘Property’ magazine for landlords on tackling energy theft. Please find this on the Products page.
Principles of the Interoperability Protocol
(A) Parties to the Protocol will either be a UKRPA Full or Associate Member, or an agreed Strategic Partner;
(B) UKRPA Members will provide and publish under this protocol a single contact point, be that a named person or a managed mail box within their organisations to enable trusts and associations to make direct contact with relevant staff/departments within the relevant organisation (this may have different contacts for different needs within each company – covered in more detail in the Appendices);
(C) The UKRPA will provide a central Helpline facility during normal working hours to support the Protocol;
(D) The UKRPA will provide energy theft awareness help and support for dissemination to interested parties. Upon signing the protocol, organisations will receive a pack which will include some best practice guidance on the following: how to spot a meter tamper and how to report a suspected tamper.
(E) Parties to the Protocol will not disseminate the information to unauthorised parties provided under this Protocol without prior permission of the UKRPA. Where information needs to be communicated (e.g. in line with a party’s regulatory obligations), such information will be anonymised where possible and in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679;
(F) Parties to the Protocol will use reasonable endeavours to meet all the service levels set out within Appendix A of this document;
(G) Strategic Partners party to the Protocol shall report (with any supporting information) at risk situations to the relevant UKRPA Member or point of contact (as per Appendix A);
(H) Strategic Partners party to the Protocol shall facilitate access to any site or premises (where appropriate) for any at risk situations for which it is responsible to the relevant UKRPA Member company (as per Appendix A).
Sign up to the Protocol
For further information and to speak about acceding to the Landlord Communications Protocol, please call the UKRPA Secretary on 020 7090 1070 or email UKRPA@Gemserv.com.