On 9th July 2019, the Galway Daily Newspaper reported that Gas Networks Ireland has facilitated the enforcement of a significant fine in Galway for a gas meter tamper.

Galway District Court was informed that Gas Networks Ireland investigated the property of Ciaran Scully (Castlegar) and found that the gas supply had been illegal interfered with. Mr Scully pleaded guilty and the Court fined him €3,500.

Gas Networks Ireland issued a public warning to highlight the public danger of interfering with gas supplies, with the Networks Safety Manager, Owen Wilson, confirming, “A tampered meter is dangerous and creates a risk of a gas explosion which can result in serious injury or even death. Those who tamper with gas meters not only put themselves at risk, but also other occupants of the property, neighbours and members of the public.”

You can find the full story here.

The second Seminar of the 2019-20 UKRPA Seminar Programme was held on 13th June 2019. The event focused on vulnerability in the Revenue Protection space, particularly:

• Key industry stakeholders’ approaches to addressing vulnerable customers, including Ofgem and the Extra Help Unit;
• Consideration of wider understanding of vulnerability, including mental health; and
• Measures to address vulnerability employed by UKRPA Members, including discussion of what could comprise best practice.

The Seminar was well attended and facilitated valuable discussion regarding how Members and wider industry can provide the best service when managing energy theft and vulnerability.

We thank UKRPA Member Grosvenor Services for sponsoring the Seminar, which was a CPD accredited event, in addition to those who presented on the day. We look forward to welcoming you to the remaining 2019-20 Seminars. Please contact UKRPA@Gemserv.com if you have any questions.

The 2019-20 UKRPA Seminar Programme continues, with the second Seminar taking place at Gemserv Offices on Thursday 13th June 2019.

The four-part Programme, which began in November 2018, is aimed at all levels of industry participants and will take deep dives into particular areas of Revenue Protection.

The Second Seminar, ‘Approaching Vulnerability’, will focus on:

• Key industry stakeholders’ approaches to addressing vulnerable customers;
• Consideration of wider understanding of vulnerability, including mental health;
• Measures to address vulnerability employed by UKRPA Members, including discussion of what could comprise best practice; and
• Identification of the next steps for UKRPA with regard to vulnerability.

Being a significant topic within the industry, the focus on vulnerability is hugely relevant and aims to facilitate interesting and valuable discussion amongst Members and wider stakeholders. Members are therefore encouraged to promote the Seminar to your wider contacts, to whom this subject may be of interest.

UKRPA Members are entitled to two free places each. Non-Members are charged £200 per place.

Please contact UKRPA@Gemserv.com to book your place and to find out more.

The Daily Mirror has published an article regarding a disabled customer discovering an illegal cannabis farm in his basement. Investigation is being carried out into the activities of the customer’s caring assistant.

As the Supplier, British Gas’ Revenue Protection Unit attended the site after ascertaining the customer’s bills were exceptionally high due to the growing of the cannabis farm. The case has been ongoing since last year.

The story can be found here.

Please contact UKRPA@Gemserv.com if you have any questions.

Following the General Meeting on 20^th April 2018, Tony Thornton decided to step down from his role as UKRPA Chairman following seven successful years in office.

With the support of a strong Executive Committee, the Association has secured many notable achievements during that time, including:

• Revamping the UKRPA strategy to focus on its core values
• Growth in membership numbers from 12 to 25
• Establishment of a quarterly members forum, to encourage roundtable discussion of best practice solutions to industry issues
• Successful delivery of three National Revenue Protection Conferences and four educational seminars
• Creation of an anonymous fraud reporting helpline, with over 15,000 reports disseminated to Suppliers and Distributors to date
• Numerous television and radio appearances (including BBC, ITV, Channel 5, Sky), working to raise public awareness of energy theft issues
• Representation of member views through responses to consultations, including Ofgem’s Tackling Electricity Theft and Tackling Gas Theft, and the Sentencing Council’s Theft Offences Guideline Consultation

At its meeting in January 2018, the UKRPA Committee reaffirmed its preference for a Chair independent of its membership.   Accordingly, the Committee ratified Paul Rocke as the replacement Chair, who assumes the role with immediate effect.

Paul has worked tirelessly within the energy industry for over eight years as an employee of Gemserv.  He brings invaluable knowledge and skills to the Association, drawing from his experience with central market code governance and trade associations within the electricity and gas space. He currently chairs a number of groups and has worked very closely with Tony since 2013, to deliver services to the UKRPA.

It will be business as usual for the UKRPA, with Paul being ably supported in his role by Rachel Bird (as the UKRPA Secretary). At the General Meeting, the membership elected its Committee for 2018/19. The following representatives were unanimously elected to the Committee:

• Ian Main, Scottish Power (Vice Chair)
• Mike Wilkinson, npower Meterplus (Vice Chair)
• Lynne Fallon, Centrica (Executive Committee Member)
• Karen Ainsworth, Electricity North West (Executive Committee Member)
• Claire Copplestone, SSE Metering (Executive Committee Member)

Tonight, the British Gas Revenue Protection team will be featuring as the headline story on the BBC One Show by giving an insight on energy theft which costs our industry more than £400 Million every year.

Read more

The UKRPA has published its response to the recent BBC News article on the high level of prosecutions for electricity theft in the Merseyside area.

Please download the press release here.