Public Utility Debt
Aims and objectives:
To enable participants to give competent advice about gas, electricity and water debts to their customers and in addition provide some background information on utility poverty and to alert advisers to some of the current issues in the utilities field.
Objectives; to enable participants to;
- Understand the legislative framework of the privatised utilities including the basis on which the competitive markets operate, and to understand and quote the license conditions relating to debt and disconnection and rights to supply
- understand different payment options
- understand the arguments about "beneficial users"
- explain the companies' powers in theft and tampering cases
- use administration orders to deal with utility debts
- identify breaches of the law and licenses and be able to refer breaches to the appropriate body
- secure repayment of arrears on an "equitable distribution basis" where appropriate identify a number of factors which affect fuel poverty and explain some of the facts and figures about utility poverty in England and Wales.
Trainer: Ian Ford