Part 3 - Switching
63. Switching Retailers
Rules 64 to 81 apply to standard switches and move switches.
64. Codes Relevant to Switching
64.1 The industry body must determine and publish codes for the following:
64.1.1 The codes used in a switch notice to denote whether the switch is a standard switch or a move switch; and
64.1.2 Register content codes associated with switch readings in transfer notices; and
64.1.3 Acceptance codes for gas acceptance notices; and
64.1.4 Reason codes for gas switching withdrawal notices.
64.2 The industry body may amend or revoke any code determined under rule 64.1 and the industry body must publish any amendment or revocation of a code.
65. Initiation of Switch
65.1 A switch is initiated by the new retailer under the authority of the consumer electing to change retailers.
65.2 Before the new retailer may initiate a switch , the new retailer must –
65.2.1 Have entered into a contract with the consumer for the supply of gas to the relevant consumer installation; and
65.2.2 Have obtained the consumer's agreement to –
- effect the switch; and
- establish the date for commencement of supply through communication with the responsible retailer ; and
- use an estimated reading from the responsible retailer to define the split of variable charges between the responsible retailer and the new retailer at the switch date; and
- collect information relating to the consumer and the consumer installation from the responsible retailer and elsewhere in order to complete the switch and commence gas supply; and
65.2.3 Be a party to a valid and subsisting agreement with the owner of the distribution system or transmission system to which the relevant consumer installation is connected, allowing the new retailer to transport and/or sell gas across that distribution system or transmission system; and
65.2.4 Be a party to a valid and subsisting gas sale and purchase agreement providing access to a supply of wholesale gas for distribution; and
65.2.5 Be a party to a valid and subsisting agreement with the owner or owners of the metering equipment at the relevant consumer installation, for use of that equipment to measure gas consumption for the ICP; and
65.2.6 Be a party to a valid and subsisting agreement with an allocation agent authorised to allocate gas at the gas gate from which gas is supplied to the ICP.
66. Gas Switching Notice
66.1 Within 2 business days after entering into a contract to supply gas to a consumer at the relevant consumer installation, the new retailer must initiate the switch by giving a gas switching notice to the registry.
66.2 The effect of giving the gas switching notice to the registry is that the new retailer –
66.2.1 Warrants that it has complied with rule 65; and
66.2.2 Is deemed to be the agent of the consumer with the authority to obtain from the responsible retailer the information required by these rules to be contained in the gas acceptance notice and the gas transfer notice.
67. What Gas Switching Notice Must Contain
67.1 The gas switching notice must state –
67.1.1 The ICP identifier; and
67.1.2 Whether or not it is a standard switch using the codes defined by the industry body; and
67.1.3 In the case of a move switch -
- the requested switch date; and
- the physical address of the ICP.
67.2 The gas switching notice may state –
67.2.1 The name of the consumer requesting the switch ; and
67.2.2 Subject to rule 67.4, a request for the last 12 months of register readings from the metering equipment at the consumer installation; and
67.2.3 In the case of a standard switch , –
- subject to rule 67.3, the requested switch date; and
- the physical address of the ICP.
67.3 If the new retailer includes a requested switch date for a standard switch, that date must not be less than 7 business days after the date the gas switching notice is given to the registry.
67.4 If the new retailer requests the last 12 months of register readings from the meter at the consumer installation –
67.4.1 The new retailer and the responsible retailer must agree as to how the register readings shall be provided; and
67.4.2 The registry is not obliged to provide any facility to communicate the register readings from the responsible retailer to the new retailer.
68. Registry Validation of Gas Switching Notice
68.1 As soon as possible after having received the gas switching notice, the registry must –
68.1.1 Validate the information contained in the gas switching notice by confirming–
- that the ICP status for the ICP is;–
- Active-Contracted or
- Active–Vacant; or
- Inactive–Transitional; or
- Inactive–Permanent; and
- that any codes used in the notice are available codes; and
- that, in the case of a move switch, there is a requested switch date; and
68.1.2 Based on the validation result, accept or reject the gas switching notice and notify the new retailer accordingly.
68.2 Within 1 business day of having accepted the gas switching notice, the registry must give the gas switching notice to the responsible retailer.
69. Response to a Gas Switching Notice
69.1 Within 2 business days after receiving a gas switching notice from the registry, the responsible retailer must give to the registry –
69.1.1 A gas acceptance notice that states that the responsible retailer intends the switch to take place on an expected switch date; or
69.1.2 A gas transfer notice that includes all the information required to complete the switch ; or
69.1.3 A gas switching withdrawal notice that states that the responsible retailer believes that the gas switching notice should be withdrawn.
69.2 If the responsible retailer gives a gas acceptance notice, it must, subject to rule 69.3, give a gas transfer notice to the registry within 23 business days after receiving the gas switching notice from the registry.
69.3 Except where a gas switching withdrawal request has been given, the responsible retailer must give a gas transfer notice within 2 business days of the switch date included in the gas transfer notice.
70. What Gas Acceptance Notice Must Contain
A gas acceptance notice must state –
70.1 The ICP identifier; and
70.2 An expected switch date which –
70.2.1 Except as required under rule 72.2, is not limited to any requested switch date in the gas switching notice; but
70.2.2 Must be no later than 23 business days after the date the responsible retailer received the gas switching notice from the registry ; and
70.3 An acceptance code, as defined by the industry body, to communicate certain information that might be useful to the new retailer in deciding whether to proceed with or withdraw the switch.
71. Registry Validation of Gas Acceptance Notice
71.1 As soon as possible after having received the gas acceptance notice, the registry must –
71.1.1 Validate the gas acceptance notice by confirming that any codes used in the notice are available codes; and
71.1.2 Based on the result of that validation, accept or reject the gas acceptance notice and notify the responsible retailer accordingly.
71.2 Within 1 business day of having accepted the gas acceptance notice, the registry must give the gas acceptance notice to the new retailer.
71.3 For the avoidance of doubt, if a gas acceptance notice is rejected by the registry, the responsible retailer must still comply with rule 69.
72. What Gas Transfer Notice Must Contain
72.1 A gas transfer notice must state –
72.1.1 The ICP identifier; and
72.1.2 Subject to rule 72.2, the switch date; and
72.1.3 An annualised consumption (in gigajoules) estimate for the ICP; and
72.1.4 The meter location code; and
72.1.5 The date of the last actual reading recorded for the ICP; and
72.1.6 The meter identifier; and
72.1.7 The meter pressure; and
72.1.8 For each register for which information is being conveyed –
- the register multiplier; and
- the number of dials on the register; and
- the switch reading for the register, which must contain the same number of digits as the number of dials on the register; and
- whether the register reading is an actual reading or an estimated reading; and
- the register content code; and
72.1.9 Any additional information that can reasonably be expected to affect the accuracy of the switch and subsequent consumer billing and allocation processes.
72.2 If the gas switching notice included a requested switch date, the responsible retailer must –
72.2.1 Use the requested switch date as the switch date and provide switch readings applicable to that date; or
72.2.2 If the responsible retailer has billed a consumer for the ICP up to a date after the requested switch date, use the day after the billed-to-date as the switch date and the billed readings as the switch readings.
72.3 If, pursuant to a transitional exemption provided by the industry body in accordance with rule 90, an ICP has more than 1 meter, the meter identifiers of the meters not identified in accordance with rule 72.1.6 must be included in the gas transfer notice as additional information under rule 72.1.9.
73. Registry Validation of Gas Transfer Notice
73.1 As soon as possible after having received the gas transfer notice, the registry must –
73.1.1 Validate the information in the gas transfer notice by confirming–
- that any codes used in the notice are available codes; and
- that the number of digits provided for each register reading is equal to the number of dials specified for the relevant register; and
73.1.2 Based on the validation result, accept or reject the gas transfer notice and notify the responsible retailer accordingly.
73.2 Within 1 business day of having accepted the gas transfer notice, the registry must –
73.2.1 Show the new retailer as the responsible retailer for the ICP, effective on and from the switch date; and
73.2.2 Give the gas transfer notice to the responsible retailer ; and
73.2.3 Give a notice to the former responsible retailer , the responsible retailer , the distributor, and the meter owner, confirming the identity of the responsible retailer and the switch date.
74. Accuracy of Switch Readings
74.1 In the gas transfer notice, the responsible retailer must provide switch readings (whether actual readings or estimated readings) that are as accurate as feasible for the particular method used to collect or derive the readings.
74.2 In order to facilitate the accuracy of switch readings for move switches –
74.2.1 The responsible retailer must continue to take actual readings from the metering equipment for all ICPs where the ICP status is ACTIVE-CONTRACTED or ACTIVE-VACANT; and
74.2.2 All relevant actual readings must be included in the responsible retailer 's processes to determine the (actual or estimated) switch readings for the gas transfer notice.
74.3 If an ICP is switched with an ICP status of INACTIVE-TRANSITIONAL and the responsible retailer uses estimated readings for the switch readings, the responsible retailer will comply with rule 74.1 if the responsible retailer –
74.3.1 Continued to collect actual readings from the metering equipment (in accordance with the responsible retailer 's normal reading schedule) until the physical disconnection of the ICP's consumer installation; and
74.3.2 Used those actual readings in the derivation of the estimated readings for the ICP.
74.4 If the metering equipment for any ICP resets to zero after each actual reading, the gas transfer notice may specify that the switch reading is zero.
74.5 If the consumer installation has its volume of gas consumption determined by the difference between register readings at other consumer installations or gas gates, the gas transfer notice must specify that the switch reading is zero.
75. Withdrawal of Switching
75.1 A switch may only be withdrawn if –
75.1.1 There has been an error in the switch process such that the switch is not giving effect to, or has not given effect to, the agreement with the consumer; or
75.1.2 The consumer, exercising a contractual or statutory right, has requested the switch to be withdrawn.
75.2 A switching withdrawal may only be initiated by –
75.2.1 In the case of a switch that is incomplete (where a new retailer has given a gas switching notice to the registry but has not received a gas transfer notice), either the responsible retailer or the new retailer ; or
75.2.2 In the case where a switch has been completed, by the responsible retailer or the former responsible retailer.
75.3 A switching withdrawal must be initiated by giving a gas switching withdrawal notice to the registry and may only be issued in the period between –
75.3.1 The date that the gas switching notice is sent to the registry by the new retailer ; and
75.3.2 The date that a new gas switching notice is received by the same retailer who is now the responsible retailer for that ICP.
76. What Gas Switching Withdrawal Notice Must Contain
The gas switching withdrawal notice must state –
76.1 The ICP identifier; and
76.2 The reason code for the switching withdrawal.
77. Registry Validation of Gas Switching Withdrawal Notice
77.1 As soon as possible after having received the gas switching withdrawal notice, the registry must –
77.1.1 Validate the information in the gas switching withdrawal notice by confirming –
77.1.2 That any codes used in the notice are available codes; and
77.1.3 That the notice has been given by a retailer authorised to give the notice under rule 75.2; and
77.1.4 Based on the validation result, accept or reject the gas switching withdrawal notice by giving notice to the retailer that gave the gas switching withdrawal notice that it has been accepted or rejected.
77.2 Within 1 business day of having accepted the gas switching withdrawal notice, the registry must give the gas switching withdrawal notice to the other retailer involved in the switch as set out in rule 75.2.
78. Retailer Response to a Gas Switching Withdrawal Notice
78.1 Within 2 business days after receiving a gas switching withdrawal notice under rule 76.2, the recipient retailer must give the registry a gas switching withdrawal response notice.
78.2 The gas switching withdrawal response notice must state whether or not the gas switching withdrawal notice is accepted or rejected. a retailer must accept a gas switching withdrawal notice if –
78.2.1 There has been an error in the switch process such that the switch is not giving effect to, or has not given effect to, the agreement with the consumer; or
78.2.2 The consumer has exercised a contractual or statutory right to have the switch withdrawn.
78.3 If the gas switching withdrawal response notice accepts the gas switching withdrawal notice, then –
78.3.1 Within 1 business day of having received the gas switching withdrawal response notice, the registry must –
- Give the gas switching withdrawal response notice to the other retailer involved in the switch as set out in rule 75.2; and
- If there has been a change in responsible retailer as a result of the acceptance of the gas switching withdrawal, give notice to both retailers involved in the switching withdrawal, the distributor, and the meter owner of the change in responsible retailer ; and
78.3.2 In the case where rule 75.2.1 applies, the uncompleted switch is terminated prior to completion and does not result in a change of responsible retailer for the ICP; and
78.3.3 In the case where rule 75.2.2 applies, the completed switch is reversed and there is a change in responsible retailer for the ICP, to the retailer who was the former responsible retailer.
78.4 If the gas switching withdrawal response notice rejects the gas switching withdrawal notice, then –
78.4.1 Within 1 business day of having received the gas switch withdrawal response notice, the registry must give the gas switching withdrawal response notice to the other retailer involved in the switch as set out in rule 75.2; and
78.4.2 That particular gas switching withdrawal process is at an end.
78.5 For the avoidance of doubt, if the gas switching withdrawal notice is rejected the responsible retailer must comply with rule 69 except that the responsible retailer may not give another gas switching withdrawal notice for the same gas switching notice.
79. Renegotiation of Switch Readings
79.1 This rule applies if a responsible retailer disputes the accuracy of a switch reading provided by the former responsible retailer in a gas transfer notice.
79.2 The responsible retailer may request an adjustment to a switch reading by giving a switch reading renegotiation request notice to the registry.
79.3 For a particular ICP, a switch reading renegotiation request notice may only be given in relation to –
79.3.1 The most recent switch ; and
79.3.2 One switch reading.
79.4 The switch reading renegotiation request notice must state –
79.4.1 The ICP identifier; and
79.4.2 The switch date; and
79.4.3 The meter identifier; and
79.4.4 The content code for the switch reading concerned; and
79.4.5 The proposed replacement switch reading ; and
79.4.6 The basis on which the proposed replacement switch reading has been determined.
80. Registry Validation of Switch Reading Renegotiation Request
80.1 As soon as possible after having received the switch reading renegotiation request notice, the registry must –
80.1.1 Validate the information in the switch reading renegotiation request notice by confirming that the request has been given by the responsible retailer as authorised by rule 79.1; and
80.1.2 On the basis of that validation, accept or reject the request and notify the responsible retailer accordingly.
80.2 Within 1 business day of having accepted the switch reading renegotiation request notice, the registry must give the switch reading renegotiation request notice to the former responsible retailer as referred to in rule 79.1.
81. Retailer Response to Switch Reading Renegotiation Request
81.1 Within 2 business days after receiving the switch reading renegotiation request notice, the recipient retailer must give to the registry a switch reading renegotiation response notice stating whether or not the switch reading renegotiation request is accepted or rejected.
81.2 Within 1 business day after receiving the switch reading renegotiation response notice, the registry must give the switch reading renegotiation response notice to the responsible retailer.
81.3 If the switch reading renegotiation request notice is rejected by the recipient retailer , the two retailers concerned must endeavour to resolve the matter by other negotiation.
82. Bypass
82.1 A bypass occurs when the distributor providing the connection service to a consumer installation is replaced.
82.2 The registry participants directly involved in effecting any bypass must process the bypass as either the creation of a new ICP or the re-commissioning of an ICP, in accordance with these rules.
82.3 Not less than 10 business days before a retailer intends giving effect to a bypass, the retailer must give notice to the responsible retailer and the responsible distributor that there is going to be a bypass in relation to the consumer installation concerned.
83. Reports From the Registry
The registry operator must provide or publish, the following reports –
83.1 The general reports under rule 84; and
83.2 the retailer report under rule 85; and
83.3 The distributor report under rule 86; and
83.4 The meter owner report under rule 87; and
83.5 Any other report as may be agreed from time to time between the registry operator and the industry body.
84. General Reports
84.1 By 0900 hours on the 6th business day of each month, the registry operator must publish a report which states –
84.1.1 The number of ICPs (categorised by each ICP status and distributor) contained on the registry as at the last day of the previous month; and
84.1.2 The number of valid gas switching notices received by the registry operator during the previous month.
84.2 By 1600 hours on the 15th business day of each month, the registry operator must publish a report on each registry participant's compliance with the timeframes specified in these rules during the previous month.
84.3 The content and format of the report referred to in rule 84.2 must be specified by the industry body after consultation with registry participants and the registry operator.
85. Retailer Report
85.1 By 0900 hours on the first business day of each month, the registry operator must give each retailer a report that shows –
85.1.1 All the ICPs for which that retailer was identified in the registry as responsible retailer during the previous month; and
85.1.2 For each of those ICPs, and for each period that the retailer was the responsible retailer during that month, the values and effective dates of all ICP parameters in Part B of the Schedule.
86. Distributor Report
86.1 By 0900 hours on the 1st business day of each month, the registry operator must give each distributor a report that shows –
86.1.1 All the ICPs for which that distributor was identified in the registry as responsible distributor during the previous month; and
86.1.2 For each of those ICPs, the values and effective dates of all ICP parameters in Part A of the Schedule.
87. Meter Owner Report
87.1 By 0900 hours on the 1st business day of each month, the registry operator must give each meter owner a report that shows –
87.1.1 All the ICPs for which that meter owner was identified in the registry as responsible meter owner during the previous month; and
87.1.2 For each of those ICPs, the values and effective dates of all ICP parameters listed in Part C of the Schedule.
88. Treatment of Switches Initiated Before G o-live Date
88.1 Except if the switch is not completed before the expiry date of the transitional functionality provided for in rule 89, where a switch between retailers has been initiated but not completed before the go-live date, the switch must be completed in accordance with the arrangements that existed on the date the switch was initiated.
88.2 In the event that a switch initiated before the go-live date is not completed before the expiry date of the transitional functionality provided for in rule 89, the initiating retailer shall cancel the switch and, if still required by the consumer, initiate a switch in accordance with rules 63 to 82.
89. Period of Transitional Functionality
89.1 In order to facilitate the initial population of the registry, and to facilitate completion of switches initiated prior to establishment of the registry, the registry operator shall provide transitional functionality to the registry to enable a change of responsible retailer other than in accordance with these rules.
89.2 The transitional functionality shall have an expiry date which shall be agreed with the industry body.
90. Transitional Exemption
90.1 A registry participant may apply in writing to the industry body for a transitional exemption from complying with one or more of these rules.
90.2 A transitional exemption applies for a period set out in the exemption and must set out alternative arrangements for complying with one or more rules.
90.3 In the application, the registry participant must set out the rule or rules from which it seeks an exemption, the detailed reasons for the exemption, the period for which the exemption is applied and and the alternative arrangements proposed for compliance with the rules.
90.4 If, after considering the reasons, the industry body is satisfied that a transitional exemption should be granted, the industry body must by notice in writing grant the transitional exemption to the registry participant which, in addition to stating the alternative arrangements that will apply, may be subject to such other conditions as the industry body thinks fit.
91. Transitional Provision for Reports
When applying rules 83 to 87 for the first time, references to month in those rules include a part-month commencing on the first day's operation of the registry if the registry commenced operation after the first business day of the month.
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