SSE Airtricity Gas NI Limited - Covid-19 FAQs

12 June 2020

Here are some of our most frequently asked questions around Covid-19

See our Covid-19 Update here:

CUSTOMER SERVICE 

Q: What do I do in a gas emergency?  

 If you smell gas phone the 24-hour gas emergency service on 0800 002 001 

Q: Is your Customer Service Team still available to contact? 

We continue to provide our full customer service to our customers over the phone and via our online channels. We’re here to answer your questions.

We’re here to answer your questions   

• Call 0345 900 5253: Monday-Thursday 8.30am-5.00pm and Friday 8.30am-4.30pm excluding bank holidays. 
• Email us at info@airtricitygasni.com
• Gas Boiler Repairs Priority Appointments – Call 0346 603 00 26 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm  

  Q- How are your protecting customer when you need to access their homes? 

In keeping with Government and NHS advice on social and physical distancing, we are only reading external meters at this time, where it is safe to do so. Internal meter readings have been suspended until further notice.

If we are unable to obtain a meter reading, we will be billing customer accounts based on a system estimated meter reading unless you have provided an actual read.

If you prefer to get billed on an actual read, you can provide a meter read through our website. Please visit www.airtricitygasni.com and follow the link to ‘Submit a Meter Reading’.  

Advice on how to read your meter is available in our ‘Help & Advice’ section on our website. 

Once it’s safe to recommence our internal Meter Reading Operations, any future meter reads obtained by our team will update our billing system and will ensure that your account is brought back in line with your actual meter read

BILLING 

Q: Can I postpone my utility bill payment? 

If you’re having difficulty with your energy costs you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will help find a solution that works for you and us.

Q: How can I help reduce my energy in my home?

If you want some practical help to cut your energy us please visit

- https://www.airtricitygasni.com/at-home/energy-efficiency/ or visit the NI Energy Advice at  nihe.gov.uk/Community/NI-Energy-Advice

Q: I usually pay my bill in the post office. What if I can’t get to the post office now?  

The easiest & fastest way you can make a payment is online or over the phone by calling us on 0345 900 5253. However, to help us free up our phone lines for our most vulnerable customers, we would ask you to visit our website airtricitygasni.com  

Q: Because of a Coronavirus related situation, I cannot afford my debt repayment, what can I do? 

If you’re having difficulty with your energy costs you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will help find a solution that works for you and us.

Call us on 0345 900 5253. You can also email  info@aitricitygasni.com as we are actively monitoring our emails and will aim to provide a response as soon as possible in email or in the form of a call back. 

If you require independent support or advice, please contact Advice NI’s Corona Virus Community Helpline:

• Telephone: 0808 802 0020
• Email: covid19@adviceni.net
• SMS: Text Action to 81025
• Website: adviceni.net

Q: How can I submit a meter reading myself? 

You can submit a meter reading on our website at www.airtricitygasni.com. Just follow the link to ‘Submit a Meter Reading’. 

PREPAY CUSTOMERS 

Q: I cannot get to a shop, how can I top up my gas meter?  

We recommend that you always keep your prepayment meter topped up.

We recognise some of our customers may be impacted due to COVID 19 and may be required to stay indoors and self-isolate and are unable to perform their usual meter top up.

There are a number of steps we are advising customers with prepayment meters to consider:

• Please remember that gas top ups can only be purchased at a PayPoint Outlet. This means you must bring the card associate to the meter to the shop.
• Please ensure the outlet is open before you leave your house as PayPoint Outlets may be operating at reduced hours or temporarily closed. PayPoint outlets contact details are available here.
• Make a list of neighbours, friends and family who live nearby and might be able to top up your card if you cannot leave your home.
• Know who your supplier is, share that information with your helping neighbours, friends and family and give them your meter box key so they can access the meter if it is outside.
• Consider topping up your meter more frequently or by a larger amount, up to the value of £49 at a time, to ensure your meter always has enough credit.
• If after considering the above steps that you are still experiencing difficulty topping up your prepayment meter, please call us on 0345 900 5253 or email us at info@airtricitygasni.com. Our team will be able to assist you obtaining a meter top up to ensure that your gas supply remains in credit
• In addition to our emergency top up service, top up assistance can also be obtained through the Covid 19 helpline number on 0808 802 0020. This helpline is operated through the Department of the Communities and AdviceNI, and also provides coronavirus community support through information and advice on benefits, employment support, food deliveries, accessing medicine, heating, and money/debt issues.

Q: What is the maximum amount I can top up my meter? 

The maximum top-up you can make is £49 per vend. This must be purchased in any PayPoint outlet using your PAYG card that is registered to your meter. Any top up purchase will be based on the applicable tariff rate at the time of the purchase.

Q: My meter is faulty and as a result I have no gas? 

If your meter is faulty and not enabling gas flow, we will follow our normal procedures to try and diagnose the issue and to notify the Network Operator to arrange a fix. The Network Operators are aiming to maintain a high level of service delivery, but there may be certain routine activities that could be delayed or cancelled should the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak continue to reduce available resources and as emergency jobs are being prioritised.  This is actively being monitored between ourselves and the various Network Operators. Please be assured we’re operating as normal and will endeavour to continue doing so.

If you smell gas, suspect a gas leak or you have no gas please call the 24-hour NI Gas Emergency Service on 0800 002 001.

ENERGY SERVICES 

Q.I would like to get a boiler service repair/replacement, when can I make an appointment?

Our Energy Services team are running as normal. Please call us on 0345 6030026 to make your booking. Please note that due to current guidelines we’re are unable to take any bookings where a customer is self-isolating.  

Q: I have a boiler service repair/replacement booked and I no longer want an engineer to call out, can I postpone/reschedule?  

Yes. Please contact our Energy Services team by phone on 0345 6030026 and we will postpone/reschedule your booking for you. 

Q: If an engineer calls out to my house to carry out work, what measures will be taken to ensure we are both safe?  

If an engineer is working at your property, they’ll be fully equipped with personal protective equipment following the latest government and expert advice. Following this advice, we’ll ask for your co-operation to observe a social distance while we complete our work. We’re currently not undertaking work in any properties where an individual is self-isolating.

Q: My question I have isn’t here? 

For a full range of Questions and Answers,  check out our Help Centre or contact us by email at info@airtricitygasni.com or by calling us on 0345 900 5253.  

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