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1、BRITISH STANDARD BS 8463:2005 +A1:2008 Specification for customer billing practice ICS 01.140.30; 03.060 ? Licensed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee
2、 on 30 September 2005 First published September 2005 The following BSI references relate to the work on this standard: Committee reference UAW/1 Draft for comment 05/30126340 DC Committees responsible for this British Standard The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted to Technical Commi
3、ttee UAW/1, Utility administration, upon which the following bodies were represented: Age Concern England APACS BSI Consumer Policy Committee Citizens Advice Service Design Business Association Energywatch Energy Institute Energy Systems Trade Associations Help the Aged NHS Purchasing and Supply Age
4、ncy OFCOM OFGEM OFWAT Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group Plain Language Commission Royal National Institution for the Blind Water UK Which? Co-opted members Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication Amd. No. DateComments A131 July 2008See foreword ISBN 978 0 580 60310 5 BSI 20
5、08 BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 Licensed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI i Contents Page Committees responsibleInside front cover Forewordii Introduction 1 1Scope 1 2Terms and definitions 1 3Billing processes 2 4The billing document 5 Annex A (informative) R
6、ecommendations for bill presentation 7 Annex B (normative) Supplementary requirements for the billing of corporate customers 12 Bibliography 13 Figure A.1 Principal page of an estimated bill or statement 8 Figure A.2 Principal page of a direct debit statement 9 Figure A.3 Principal page of a multi-s
7、ervice annual statement for a direct debit customer 10 Figure A.4 Supplementary page of a multi-service bill 11 BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 BSI 2008 Licensed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI ii Foreword Summary of pages This document comprises a front cover,
8、 an inside front cover, pages i and ii, pages 1 to 13 and a back cover. The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued. BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 BSI 2008 Publishing information This British Standard has been prepared by Technical Committee UAW/1, Utility
9、administration. Supersession BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 supersedes BS 8463:2005, which is withdrawn. Information about this document The start and finish of text introduced or altered by Amendment No. 1 is indicated in the text by tags !“. Use of this document Users attention is drawn to the existence of
10、legislation or regulatory requirements that may over-ride some provisions of this British Standard. Up-to-date advice should be sought from appropriate regulatory authorities. This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its corre
11、ct application. Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations. Licensed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI 1 Introduction The purpose of this British Standard is to provide a tool for suppliers of utility services (i.e
12、. broadly, but not exclusively, gas, electricity, water, telephone and cable services for which periodic billing is made) to enable them to ensure that their customers can be provided with clearly comprehensible, accurate, timely and complete bills and billing related information. It is intended tha
13、t the standard should: set minimum standards of billing services for customers; provide opportunities for innovation in billing whilst allowing for differentiation in supplier/brand; offer a means of giving consumers a clearer understanding and greater certainty of the billing process to engender co
14、nsumer confidence in utility services; provide a fairer basis between the parties for their ongoing relationship; serve as a means of minimizing complaints by addressing issues that have been the source of frequent complaints about periodic billing; promote informed customer choice; offer a means to
15、wards meeting corporate social responsibility obligations. 1 Scope This British Standard specifies the minimum generic requirements for suppliers of services for which periodic billing is made. The requirements pertain to both the billing process and to the billing documents. It can be applied to se
16、rvices that are unmetered, metered at the point of delivery or metered remotely (e.g. on the suppliers own premises). Design guidelines for billing documents are given in Annex A. Supplementary requirements pertaining to the billing of corporate customers are specified in Annex B. 2 Terms and defini
17、tions For the purposes of this British Standard, the following definitions apply. 2.1 bill documentation issued by a supplier to a customer notifying charges due to be paid 2.2 calibration (in respect of prepayment meters) relationship between energy consumed and payment made or debited NOTE This ma
18、y include provision for debt recovery. 2.3 corporate customer customer supplied other than under a domestic contract or tariff 2.4 customer party legally responsible for bill payment 2.5 meter point administration number in respect of electricity supply, the unique reference number(s) registered to
19、the site supplied NOTE It is frequently referred to as a “Supply Number“ or “S“ number, and does not relate to any particular meter installed at a property. 2.6 meter point reference number in respect of gas supply, the unique reference number(s) registered to the site supplied NOTE It is frequently
20、 abbreviated to “MPR”, “MPRN” or “M”, and does not relate to any particular meter installed at a property. BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 BSI 2008 Licensed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI 2 2.7 statement expression of information retained by a supplier recordi
21、ng items of debit and credit between itself and a customer 2.8 supplier party undertaking to supply a service or services for which periodic billing is made 2.9 supply point identification number generic term for a unique identifier of a specific location to which a service is supplied NOTE It inclu
22、des meter point administration numbers, meter point reference numbers and telephone numbers. 3 Billing processes 3.1 Meter readings Suppliers shall establish, and make publicly available, processes in their business to obtain an actual reading or customers own reading on which to base each periodic
23、bill. Suppliers shall devise and implement a policy to: engage proactively to encourage and facilitate customers providing a reading; and, provide “out-of-hours” meter reading services where requested by a customer. These processes shall have clear audit trails and shall be internally audited on a r
24、egular basis. 3.2 Estimated bills Suppliers shall establish, and make publicly available, a system designed to ensure that estimated bills relate to foreseeable actual consumption. Customers shall be encouraged to check the estimated bill against current reading(s) and to provide their own readings
25、if they believe the estimate to be inaccurate. Suppliers shall ensure that, where a customers own reading is provided, a replacement bill reflecting this reading is sent out within 10 working days. 3.3 Multi-service providers 3.4 Annual statement Suppliers shall provide customers with an annual stat
26、ement of actual usage, charges, payments and the final balance. The statement shall indicate any debt payments made. NOTE The statement should draw attention to any of the suppliers alternative tariffs that might be more appropriate. !In the case where a supplier provides more than one service to a
27、customer, the customer shall be offered, where feasible, the choice of whether to have a separate or composite bill. Where it is not feasible for a supplier to offer this choice to the customer, the supplier shall be able to provide a sound justification for this.“ BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 BSI 2008 Lice
28、nsed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI 3 3.5 Overcharging and undercharging Suppliers shall establish, and make publicly available, clear policies as to what will happen if there is an over- or under-payment. These shall include: publishing a contact n
29、umber for access to staff who have the capacity, the skill and the authority to negotiate acceptable compromises; where overcharging has occurred, the procedures and conditions governing refund or credit, incorporating a statement as to the period by which any such refund or credit will be effected.
30、 In the case of a refund, this period shall be not more than 10 working days from the date of agreement that a refund will be made. In the case of a credit, it shall appear on the next bill; where undercharging has occurred, the opportunity to pay the amount owing over a period at least equal to tha
31、t in which the undercharging took place. Where a customers circumstances affecting the ability to pay are made known to the supplier, these shall be taken into account when arranging the repayment period. Suppliers shall have a documented policy for verifying the continued validity of the calibratio
32、n (see 2.2) of prepayment meters. NOTE Calibration is sometimes referred to as the “charging rate”. It should not be confused with the process of ensuring the accuracy and reliability of a meter. 3.6 Handling of billing enquiries and billing complaints Suppliers shall establish, and make publicly av
33、ailable, documented processes (e.g. BS ISO 10002) to deal with customer billing complaints or enquiries. 3.7 Final bill after closure of account Suppliers shall send the final bill to a customer by a date no later than six weeks after termination of service, or within the period stated in the suppli
34、ers terms and conditions for the relevant service, if earlier. Suppliers shall establish, and make publicly available, a documented policy for regularly updating former customers on the status of any matters that may remain in contention after this period. 3.8 Timeliness Bills shall cover an agreed
35、regular period and shall be sent within 15 working days of the end of that period. Customers whose payment method (e.g. direct debit) generates statements shall receive them at agreed intervals (but not less than annually), together with guidance on how to check their accuracy and how to notify any
36、discrepancies. 3.9 Performance Suppliers shall establish, and publish, performance targets in respect of the accuracy and frequency of meter readings, and the extent to which they have been achieved. 3.10 Payment methods 3.10.1 General Payment options shall be clearly identified (see 4.3.2). NOTE Wh
37、ere possible, debit or credit cards and online payment methods should be offered. It shall be made clear to whom and when any concessions apply. 3.10.2 Direct debit Where direct debit is to be used, the supplier shall provide details of the intended payment arrangement to the customers nominated fin
38、ancial institution in a timely manner so as to facilitate the transaction taking place either on, or as soon as practicable after, the due date of payment. Suppliers shall have a documented policy for checking customers own readings and adjusting the level of direct debit if, allowing for seasonal v
39、ariations, it no longer reflects actual or reasonably foreseeable usage. The policy shall indicate the conditions under which adjustments are made. BS 8463:2005+A1:2008 BSI 2008 Licensed CopyChinese University of Hong Kong, 21/10/2008 07:47, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI 4 3.11 Changes of customer deta
40、ils Changes to customer details shall be recorded in the suppliers database within 10 working days of receipt of changes from the customer. 3.12 Access to billing history A supplier shall, on demand, make available to a customer any retained record of a customers billing history. 3.13 Compliance sys
41、tem Suppliers shall have a documented system in place to ensure compliance with this British Standard. Internal auditing systems shall be established to monitor compliance on a regular basis. Suppliers shall establish a policy for researching customer experience to test the layout of bills for compr
42、ehensibility and clarity. 3.14 Continuous improvement Suppliers shall have a system of monitoring performance to promote continuous improvement for billing, and shall maintain an ongoing review of their billing practices through: a) systematically collecting data on complaints and enquiries for the
43、purpose of enhancing information management and service provision relating to billing; NOTE This should include monitoring call centre calls and encouraging feedback from customer service/call centre staff. b) keeping abreast of best practice regarding billing practices; c) fostering a compliance cu
44、lture in relation to this British Standard within the organization, including employing people who have experience of, and commitment to, the continuous improvement of billing practices; d) undertaking specific training and retraining of staff to foster better billing practices. 3.15 Promotion of sp
45、ecial services Suppliers shall establish a register of customers for whom special needs are known to exist (e.g. elderly, chronically sick, etc.), and shall devise and implement measures to ensure that the existence and purpose of the register is promoted to the intended beneficiaries and their care
46、rs or help professionals. As a minimum, such customers shall be informed that they have the right for their bills and related information to be sent to a nominated third-party, and for that third-party to deal directly with the supplier on any account or billing query. Suppliers shall ensure that sy
47、stems established to provide for positive identification of employees and agents visiting customer premises (e.g. a password scheme), are appropriately promoted. 3.16 Customers with difficulty in paying their bills Suppliers shall have policies and procedures in place for the effective assistance of
48、 customers in temporary or permanent financial hardship. These policies should be clearly communicated to those customers who may need to take advantage of them. Suppliers shall establish links with appropriately qualified financial counsellors or budget advisers in order to be able to refer to them
49、 customers who need assistance with the management of their finances. 3.17 Changes of a significant nature Changes of a significant nature, such as previously notified new prices, rebates and concessions, shall be notified to individual customers prior to implementation and confirmed in the next bill after the change. 3.18 Disconnections Suppliers shall have a clear documented policy for dealing with instances of non-payment of bills. This shall include provi