Bay of Plenty Energy

Terms of Supply

Bay of Plenty Energy's Standard Terms of Supply

  • Who and what does this contract apply to?
  • What are your responsibilities?
  • Typical Supply Arrangement
  • What do you pay for?
  • Disconnection Procedure
  • What are Bay of Plenty Energy's responsibilities and commitments?
  • Personal Information
  • What happens if one of us breaks this contract?
  • What happens if we disagree on something?
  • Safety & Security
  • Telephone Contact Numbers
  1. Our aim is to provide you with a safe, reliable and competitive energy service, 24 hours a day, all year round.
  2. When we talk about 'energy' or 'energy related services' in this contract we mean electricity, natural gas, LPG and services related to those products.
  3. To help us do this, we have prepared this contract which details the rights and responsibilities you have as a customer and we have as your energy retailer.

    4. Who and what does this contract apply to?

  4. Subject to Bay of Plenty Energy agreeing to provide a supply, this contract applies to energy and related network delivery services provided to premises occupied by residential customers and used solely for residential purposes.
  5. It is effective from 1 November 2001 and applies to all residential customers receiving energy and energy related services from Bay of Plenty Energy.
  6. If you are not already a customer of Bay of Plenty Electricity, you become one by making an oral agreement with us for supply either by telephone or visiting our office receiving and using energy supplied by Bay of Plenty Energy continuing to receive and use energy and energy related services at a residence that the previous contracted customer has left signing our application form for supply.
  7. Bay of Plenty Energy reserves the right to decline any application for the supply of energy and energy related services, and to discontinue the supply of energy and energy related services.

    8. What are your responsibilities?

  8. You are responsible for paying for all the services we provide you by the due date on your energy bill. Interest at the rate of 1.5 per cent per month will be charged on overdue accounts. In the event of any credit action being taken, you will be liable for collection charges incurred by us.
  9. If you intend to move premises and thereby end this contract please give us at least 48 hours notice. Our charges will stop at the time agreed with you, when a final invoice will be submitted for payment. Your contract with us will come to an end when any outstanding amounts due to us have been paid.
  10. You are responsible for repairing and maintaining the power line or cable from the point of supply (see diagram below), to your meter board (excluding meters and relays owned by Bay of Plenty Energy) and any other wiring or gas supply piping and equipment on your property.
  11. You should ensure your lines, meter box and other equipment are all in good repair and comply with appropriate regulations and codes of practice.
  12. We recommend you contact a qualified electrician (or gas fitter for gas installations) before any work is carried out on your energy equipment.

    13. Typical Supply Arrangement

    The supply lines shown in red are your responsibility.

  13. You need to ensure that any trees and vegetation on your property are kept trimmed away from all power lines and other electrical equipment including meter boxes. For your own safety, regarding tree cutting near power lines, please contact us for advice.
  14. As part of this contract you must provide us and our agents with reasonable access to your property for meter reading, testing, inspections and maintenance along with your adherence to the relevant distribution company connection requirements.

    15. What do you pay for?

  15. In essence there are two main sets of cost components in the supply of energy. The first set of costs is for the provision and maintenance of the national transmission systems and the local distribution networks needed to deliver energy to you. The second set of costs is for the provision of the energy, metering systems and administration services by Bay of Plenty Energy. In addition to these charges, you may be required to pay a deposit as security for payment of your account. The deposit will not usually be more than our estimate of two months worth of energy and delivery charges. Your deposit will be held by us and may be used to offset any debts you owe us at the time your account is closed. The prices available to you are set out on our price list which may change from time to time. We will provide at least 48-hours notice of any changes in prices that may affect you.

    16. Disconnection Procedure

  16. If you do not pay your deposit or undisputed bill by the due date you will be charged interest at the rate of 1.5 per cent per month on the full value of any late payments, and you may also be disconnected.
  17. Before disconnecting your energy supply we will give you at least 7 days written notice and allow 3 days for the receipt of the notice. If your bill and any interest or charges due have still not been paid at the end of that period we will attempt to give you a final warning 24 hours prior to disconnection.
  18. Disconnection does not alter your responsibility to pay all outstanding debts including collection, administration and legal costs incurred by Bay of Plenty Energy in relation to charges that are due from you.

    19. What are Bay of Plenty Energy's responsibilities and commitments?

  19. Bay of Plenty Energy owns and maintains the electricity meters and load control equipment on your meter board. We will keep this equipment serviceable and maintained to recognised industry standards.
  20. We will read the meter(s) at your property or residence several times a year, unless otherwise agreed between us. Estimated accounts are based on average household usage at a similar time last year. As an alternative we will accept actual and accurate meter readings provided by you.
  21. All of our staff and accredited contractors carry identification cards for your security. You can refuse access if the identification card is not shown.
  22. To ensure customer keys or security information stay safe, we have strict internal security procedures in place.
  23. We will try to give you advance notice of planned outages that might affect you. However there may be interruptions to your supply without notice due to circumstances beyond our control.

    24. Personal Information

  24. To provide our services, we need some information about you. This information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected and no other, unless:
    • we have your permission
    • we need to do so by law or
    • this contract allows it.
  25. You can request a copy of all information we have about you or your account and you are able to correct it if it is wrong.
  26. Under this contract, we may give information about you or your account to an agency employed to recover overdue payments. Only information necessary for debt collection will be passed on.
  27. We may send you information, such as details of payment methods, energy efficiency, special promotions etc, if we believe it will benefit you.

    28. What happens if one of us breaks this contract?

  28. If we do something that should reasonably have been avoided, or omit to do something that should reasonably have been done, and as a result you suffer a loss in relation to normal domestic activity, then we may be liable for that loss.
  29. Nothing in this contract excludes or limits any rights or remedies you might have under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
  30. Neither you nor the company shall be liable for losses arising from events beyond the parties¹ reasonable control, including acts of God, human events such as industrial actions, war and other hostilities, and natural events such as fire, earthquake, lightning strike and storms.
  31. We are not liable for any loss or damage which results from any action of the network provider or is caused by them, nor are we liable for any loss or damage arising from the failure of someone else to supply us with energy or the quality or character of energy supplied.
  32. If your property is damaged for reasons relating to supply, interruption or interference, and the problem was not caused by us, you may be able to claim against another party or your household insurance and you should seek professional advice on this.
  33. If you do not meet your responsibilities under this contract a written notice will be sent to you explaining what is wrong. If you do not comply with such a notice, we may then end our contract with you.

    34. What happens if we disagree on something?

  34. Please contact us with any problems as soon as you can. We will make every effort to answer you promptly. If you are not satisfied with our response, please write to our Customer Care Manager who will contact you within three working days to try to resolve the problem.
  35. If you are still not satisfied we have a formal disputes resolution procedure which is available on request.

    36. Safety & Security

  36. Tampering with meters and equipment is dangerous and a criminal offence.
  37. If you are caught stealing energy by tampering with or bypassing metering equipment you will be prosecuted.
  38. We recommend you install protective devices to protect sensitive equipment such as computers, VCR¹s, microwaves and the like, from any electricity supply fluctuations.

Telephone Contact Numbers

All Customer Inquiries: 0800 500 710
Business Calls: (07) 922.2700
Fax: (07) 307.0922

Commerce Plaza
52 Commerce Street
PO Box 404
WHAKATANE