Competition was introduced in stages.

Stage 1 2.5 million homes 1st November 1997
Scotland, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Northumberland, Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees and Tyne & Wear.

Stage 2 2.8 milion homes 27th February 1998
Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the City of Kingston-upon-Hull, Lancashire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and York.

Stage 3 2.9 million homes 27th March 1998
Cheshire, Derbyshire, North Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.

Stage 4 3.2 million homes 24th April 1998
Wales and the counties of Gloucestershire, Hereford and Worcester, Liecestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and Wiltshire.

Stage 5 2.1 million homes 22nd May 1998
Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, the Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk.

Stage 6 3.1 million homes 19th June 1998
Greater London and Surrey.

Competition was introduced to Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, the former county of Avon, Dorset, Kent and East and West Sussex prior to April 1997.

Only companies which have been granted a licence by Ofgas will be allowed to supply gas.
Licensed gas companies will have to meet certain conditions.

These include:supplying gas to anyone connected to mains gas in the licence area who asks for it; and
offering a variety of ways for customers to pay for their gas - for example by cash, by cheque or postal order.

Having met these and other conditions, companies are free to offer a wide range of other services and prices.

No. The choice is yours. If you do nothing, your gas will continue to be supplied by your existing company.

First, shop around. Check for the best price and other services that rival companies are offering. Make sure the one you choose best suits your circumstances.

 Once you have made your choice, you will agree a new contract with your new gas company. The contract is a legal document. Once it is signed you must give 28 days written notice to cancel it if you decide to change to another company. If an uninvited sales person comes to your home and you sign a contract, you will have 7 days to change your mind and let them know you wish to cancel.

You should only sign one contract to supply gas to your home - two competing firms cannot supply gas at the same time to the same meter. If you have more than one house you can, of course, have a different gas comany supply each address.

If you decide to switch to a new company, quoting your meter point reference number (which can be found on your gas bill) will make changing a lot easier.

Your new company will read your meter, or ask you to do it for them, within two working days before or after they start to supply your gas. This reading will be used to produce a final bill from your previous company.

If possible, keep a note of your meter reading on the day you transfer to the new company.

For more information about contracts, look in the section headed What about Contracts?

If you have problems paying for your gas, companies must offer assistance and advice. They must agree a plan with you to repay the debt, and/or offer you a prepayment meter. A prepayment meter would allow you to pay for your gas as you use it and at the same time to pay off any debt.

If you are in debt to your existing company or you have a bill outstanding for more than 28 days, you may be unable to transfer to another gas company until you pay the amount outstanding.

The gas industry in Great Britain has an excellent safety record and BG Transco will continue to be responsible for dealing with the gas leaks and emergencies.

If you smell gas, the national emergency FREEPHONE number for help is 0800 111 999.

No. You can keep your existing meter, although in a few instances a company may offer a different one.

It's unlikely, but should your gas company go out of business your gas will not be cut off. Ofgas will immediately appoint another company to supply you temporarily until you have chosen tour new company.

If you have a complaint, first tell the company who supplies your gas - the address and telephone number will be on your contract or gas bill. If you are dissatisfied with their response, contact:
the Gas Consumers Council which will take up valid complaints with the company. The address of the GCC is at the bottom of this page;
if the Gas Consumers Council cannot resolve the problem and it involves a possible breach of current legislation, it will contact Ofgas. Ofgas has statutory powers to make sure gas suppliers comply with their licence conditions.

The new gas companies will sell their services in different ways:

• by advertising, where you may be asked to fill in a coupon or telephone a number to registeryour interest;
  
• by direct mail, where a leaflet put through your door or posted to you will invite you to register an interest - possibly by offering an incentive, such as a prize competition or the chance of a free holiday;
  
• by telephone, where you may be asked to agree to recieve more information, or a visit from a representative of the company;
  
• or by doorstep selling, where a sales representative calls and explains the benefits of transfreering to the company they represent.
  

You should always ask doorstep sales people for some identification and which company they represent.

Telephone and doorstep sales people can be very persuasive. Often they will offer a discount or some other incentive to get you to accept on the spot. Because of this, the law allows you 7 days to cancel the contract. This does not apply if you have invited them to call.

There is no need to pay any agent to find you a gas supplier. All gas companies will advertise their services and you can contact them direct.

If you switch to a new company you will be asked to enter into a new contract. This will say, for example, how you have agreed to pay the bill; explain arrangements for termination of the contract, and confirm any extra services that the company has agreed to provide.

You are likely to be offered two sorts of contracts;

• a rolling contract. These do not have a time limit and the price of gas can go up or down. You can end this sort of contract at 28 days notice if you choose to move to another supplier.
  
• a fixed period contract. As the name suggests, this contract operstes for a fixed period of time (for example, 1 or 2 years). If you end this contract early, in addition to giving 28 days notice you may have to pay a termination fee - unless you are moving house or the company has raised the price.

Before signing any contract, it is wise to compare the prices, terms and conditions with the deals offered by rival companies. Make sure you understand any contract before you sign it.

If you already have a service contract for your gas appliances, this is not affected by a new contract to supply gas.

 

"How much will the gas cost?" "Is this contract for a fixed period or is it a rolling contract?" "How long does the contract last?" "What are the arrangements for ending the contract?" "What services are you offering - for example, how often will my meter be read?" "Who do I talk to if I have a query?"

"What are the payment options? (for instance, direct debit, monthly or quarterly instalments, cash, cheque or prepayment meter?)" "How often will I get my bills/statements of account?" "Will there be a standing charge - if so, how much?" "What help can you give me if my boiler or gas appliances break or need servicing?" "Do you offer any other services - such as energy-saving measures which can save money on gas bills?"

The answers you recieve will help you to choose the supplier who offers the best deal to suit you.

 

"How much is your average quarterly bill?" "What type of meter do you use at the moment - eg: prepayment or credit?"

"What is your preferred method of payment?"   "What is your full address and postcode?" "Are there any other services you require - eg: help with reading your meter?" "What is your meter point reference number?"

If you feel you still need more information or have unanswered questions, further advice can be obtained from:

Gas consumers council (GCC), Abford House, 15 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LT. Tel: 0645 06 07 08

The gas consumers council is a statutory body representing the interests of gas consumers in the UK which offers free help and advice.

  Ofgas, the Office of Gas Supply, was set up by the government in 1986 to protect the interests of gas consumers both by controlling British Gas' prices and by developing competition in the gas market. Ofgas also issues gas licences and ensures companies comply with their terms.

This booklet is also available in some other languages, in braille and large print at your local Citizens Advice Bureau.