Ofwat business customer protection focuses on smallest

Ofwat's recently published decision document on its Customer Protection Code of Practice for business retailers focuses largely on so called micro business customers. under non-domestic competition scheduled to begin in April next year.

The emphasis in its Business customer protection code of practice on the smallest customers is in recognition of their being the most vulnerable according to Ofwat.

Ofwat anticipates that the code of practice will be made law through and existing condition in the water supply and sewerage licence (WSSL) and changes to instruments of appointment subject to a current consultation, Retail market opening - further changes to all instruments of appointment, that closes 31 May 2016. The regulator plans to implement the changes in August 2016.

The regulaotr has a legal duty to make sure that eligible customers are protected in the new market. One of our tools for doing this is the

While Ofwat says in it decision document that it has "no evidence that we need to regulate TPIs directly," it

added that should market opening produce evidence that the current voluntary arrangements were not working in the best interest of customers, "we may seek additional powers from the UK government or use our existing regulatory tools to continue to ensure customers are protected."

We plan to hold a stakeholder event later this year to discuss and develop the voluntary TPI code in practice. If you want to be added to the mailing list, please get in touch.