Gas providers start to tally up the cost of compensation

Thursday, 07 January 2010

National Grid criticised for poor communication while customers suffered

By Nick Griffin

GAS suppliers are facing a hefty compensation bill in the aftermath of the failure of gas supplies in East Barnet over the festive period.

Initially more than 1,000 homes in the East Barnet area were left with no heating or hot water after supplies failed as temperatures plunged below zero on December 20.

Since then, hundreds of engineers drafted in from as far afield as the Midlands and East Anglia have been working round the clock to restore supplies after a burst water main forced water into gas pipes.

Residents are now in line to receive £30 compensation for every day they were without gas and a possible one-off payment for those left with supplies over Christmas.

The compensation bill will run to at least £30,000 for the first day of disruption alone.

Businesses will also be assessed for compensation over the coming weeks, based on their loss of earnings.

Despite the efforts of engineers, at least 150 families spent Christmas without gas, having to rely on some of the 3,000 fan heaters and electric hobs handed out from a hastily established incident room at St Mary’s CofE Primary School, in Little Grove.

But residents in some streets were also hit by power cuts after the grid failed under the increased strain.

Almost all those properties affected were reconnected by New Year’s Eve but yesterday National Grid confirmed that at least 20 homes were still without gas 18 days after supplies first went down.

According to officials, most of the properties are thought to be empty and engineers have been unable to gain access to pump water from gas pipes.

Helen Lyon, of Cranbrook Road, who has two daughters aged three and 16 months, was left without gas until Christmas Eve. But Mrs Lyon this week criticised National Grid for a lack of communication and compensation.

She said: “I just think it was handled really badly. I don’t think they appreciate the circumstances they left people in, especially the elderly and those with young kids.

“We’ve had a standard letter saying we will get £30 a day for the time that we were off but it will have cost a fortune running electric heaters all day.

“It’s not our fault and it’s ruined Christmas for so many people. They are such a big organisation, I think the compensation could be better.”

A spokesman for National Grid said: “There still remains about 20 properties we have not been able to gain access to. There are also a handful of properties that still have problems caused by residual water in the system.

“We have written to residents giving information about compensation for loss of gas supplies which will be provided under the company’s standards of service. Residents will receive specific details about payments.”

The woes of residents in Barnet were added to when power went down to more than 2,000 homes in West Finchley during the early hours of December 30. West Finchley Tube station was also affected.

EDF Energy engineers worked through the night to restore power by morning.

Residents still having gas supply problems should call 0845 605 6677.

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