Connections & Registration CR & Connections & Registration Industry Shipperless &Unregistered Working Group Thursday 7th January 10.30am at xoserve

Agenda Introduction: (15 minutes) (Alison Jennings & Mark Woodward) > Previous minutes (MW) > Terms of Reference for group to agree (AJ) Statistical Information: (15 minutes) (Mark Woodward) > Overall industry position with unregistered and shipperless meter points > Category industry breakdowns > Shipper Responses > Age Analysis Process Updates: (1 hour) (Mark Woodward & David Watson) > Over view of Review Group 245 (DW) > Strawman of unregistered process from RG 245 (DW) > MOD517 (MW) > Code 12 (MW) Route Cause: (1 hour) > How do we tackle root cause? > Root cause topics identified so far

Statistical Information

Overall Industry unregistered and Shipperless Sites meter points Unregistered Sites May-09 Jul-09 Sep-09 Nov-09 Trend Description Shipper Activity 11,527 369 643 578 These reports are sent out shipper specific and include sites where shippers have provided an activity which suggests intention to confirm i.e., Confirmation rejection, Meter asset update to the C&D store, Conquest raised to create the M Number, End User. They are for created sites > 12 months Orphaned TOTAL 133 12,227 14,622 15,672 This report is sent out to the whole industry either following a shippers response to the shipper activity report, that they have no further interest in the M Number or that no response is received within the period of production of the next Bi monthly report. They also include sites where a service has been completed and in some instances a meter already installed. They are for created sites > 12 months With Meter 5,118 Shipperless Sites - Shipper 608 667 658 These contain sites which have previously been confirmed and withdrawn with meter removed. Information provided suggests either the existing meter still on site or a new meter has been fitted e.g. Gas Safety Regulations (GSR) Shipperless Sites - Industry 1,998 2,021 2,294 2,254 No Activity 25,844 27,323 28,275 23,771 These contain meter points created on UK Link where no shipper activity has been recorded and that remain unconfirmed. They are for created sites > 12 months Legitimately Unregistered 6,282 6,193 5,987 6,572 These contain sites which can represent one of the following reasons: Vacant sites No Gas meter but live service Service still in planning stage Meter Point created less than 12 months 34,145 25,798 31,058 26,032 These figures provide details of meter points that have a created date < than 12 months that remain unconfirmed - If not confirmed they will gradually feed into some of the above reports going out to industry 79,929 74,539 83,546 75,537 Produced on a Bi-monthly basis

Confirmation Rejections Industry Breakdown Shipper Activity Total number of MPRNS Conquest requested C& D Updates Confirmation Rejections Service Requests TOTAL 578 189 272 34 150 645 Orphaned age analysis & Meter fitted breakdown Created Year Total % With meter 1996 94 0.60% 89 1.74% 1997 67 0.43% 64 1.25% 1998 304 1.94% 262 5.12% 1999 88 0.56% 87 1.70% 2000 1,225 7.82% 145 2.83% 2001 975 6.22% 206 4.03% 2002 1,366 8.72% 303 5.92% 2003 2,847 18.17% 558 10.90% 2004 1,686 10.76% 551 10.77% 2005 1,083 6.91% 339 6.62% 2006 1,310 8.36% 523 10.22% 2007 2,295 14.64% 940 18.37% 2008 2,332 14.88% 1,051 20.54% TOTAL 15,672 100.00% 5,118

Industry Breakdown (continued) Origins of the Orphaned sites report Number of shipper short codes Volume Conquest Creation C&D Rejections Confirmation Rejections Service Requests Total % 17 UP TO 50 62 24 137 285 2.08% 7 51 - 250 133 90 27 408 658 4.79% 3 251-500 254 144 99 500 997 7.26% 4 500+ 1,284 1,088 526 8,895 11,793 85.87%  31 1,733 1,346 714 9,940 13,733 100% Total number of individual meter points is 12,590 The reason there are 13,733 in table is due to the meter point having more than 1 shipper activity reason NB: The above as been done with July 09’s data set Shipperless sites – Shipper Report Number of shipper short codes Volume Number of sites % 12 < 5 sites 18 2.74% 10 5 - 10 sites 73 11.09% 3 11 to 20 sites 43 6.53% 4 > 21 sites 524 79.64%  29 TOTAL 658 100.00%

Shipperless Details (PTS Files) Shipper Responses Shipper responses to the unregistered reports UNREG Details May July September November Shippers issued Reports 27 17 21 18 Volume 11,527 369 643 578 Number of shippers to respond 5 (18.5%) 2 (11.76%) 2 (9.52%) 2 (11.11%) Volume of response 984 (8.53%) 27 (7.31%) 44 (6.84%) 15 (2.6%) Shipper responses to the shipperless reports Shipperless Details (PTS Files) May July September November Shippers issued Reports - 26 30 29 Volume 608 667 658 Number of shippers to respond 3 (10%) 2 (6.9%) Volume of response 10 (1.5%) 38 (5.78%) 301 “YES” responses still to be confirmed

Industry Breakdown (continued) Age analysis of No Activity Meter Point Created year Volume % 2000 11 0.05% 2001 21 0.09% 2002 295 1.24% 2003 735 3.09% 2004 987 4.15% 2005 1,401 5.89% 2006 3,083 12.97% 2007 8,648 36.38% 2008 8,590 36.14% TOTAL 23,771 100.00% No Activity – UIP allocation Number of UIP's Volume Number of sites 17 < 500 sites 1,028 5 > 500 sites 22,743 TOTAL 23,771

Industry Breakdown (continued) Age analysis of sites < 365 days from creation Date MPRN Created Volume % % of sites unregistered from creation Nov-08 917 3.52% 13.61% Dec-08 1,228 4.72% 18.20% Jan-09 891 3.42% 14.41% Feb-09 1,080 4.15% 16.24% Mar-09 1,533 5.89% 20.16% Apr-09 1,496 5.75% 21.35% May-09 1,387 5.33% 20.76% Jun-09 2,059 7.91% 26.56% Jul-09 2,357 9.05% 31.99% Aug-09 2,469 9.48% 37.44% Sep-09 4,164 16.00% 55.35% Oct-09 6,451 24.78% 76.92%   26,032 100.00%

Analysis on unconfirmed >12 months created July/August 08 created September/October 08 created TOTAL Volume = 2,646 (14% Unregistered from created date) Plots = 385 Flats = 529 Units = 334 Named/ Numbered properties = 1,398 TOTAL Volume = 2,141 (16.7% Unregistered from created date) Plots = 326 Flats = 290 Units = 280 Named/ Numbered properties = 1,245 Shipper Activity = 643 (24.3%) Conquest = 162 C&D = 278 Confirmation Rejection = 60 Service Request = 215 Shipper Activity = 578 (27%) Conquest = 189 C&D = 272 Confirmation Rejection = 34 Service Request = 150 Checked with 2 MAM’s = 120 with meters fitted (6%) Checked with 2 MAM’s = 108 with meters fitted (7%) No Activity = 1,884 (71.2%) 3 UIP’s accounting for 81% No Activity = 1,455 (68%) 4 UIP’s accounting for 77%

Process Updates

MOD 517 Changes Changes were made to the existing Mod 517 templates on 17th August 2009. We wish to thank our customers for supporting the change to the MOD517 process. Evidence has confirmed that the information relating to the status of service is already benefiting the unregistered process.

Code 12 Changes Changes to the Code 12 M Number Creation process became effective from 5thOctober 2009. As a result of these changes the code 12 requests have now been absorbed by the MNC contact code. Please note that these query types are defined as follows: MNC An MPRN Creation Request (with or without a meter attached) for non tagged service FOM (Fast Track) An MPRN Creation Request (with or without a meter attached) for tagged Service NB: There is no longer a concern over whether the service was pre or post 2002

Route cause

Outcome of Unregistered meter points Volumes from creation that remain unregistered after 12 months: May/June 08 = 3,200 (19% of total created) July/August 08 = 2,141 (14%) September/October 08 = 2,646 (16%) Unconfirmed sites can fall into one of the following categories: IGT’s Service never installed Service still in planning stage of installation Service installed, but no intention yet, or ever, of having a meter installed Service installed and meter in planning stage to be fitted Service installed and Meter fitted

Route Causes identified so far Timescales from MPRN requested to service laid M Number Allocation process Services laid and no MPRN requests received MPRN Rejections Job Cancellations M Number & details provided to the requestor Correctly tagging services IGT/LPG Sites created MNC and Fast Track process Address Clarity Knowledge Communication

UIP M Number Creation process Finish Start Details provided of M Number used for service Request for Service Service Cancellation Service Requester Start Service planned & M Number requested for creation on UK Link Finish Details provided of M Number created on UK Link Batch of MPRN’s requested Reinvestigated Reinvestigated Information returned on cancelled service Utility Infrastructure provider (UIP Service laid and tagged Service cancelled Rejected System validation checks performed Rejected System validation checks performed Accepted Meter point details on UK Link set to EX Accepted xoserve

Data Labelling company allocating MPRN’s UIP Controls around internal UIP have not registered with xoserve Previous batch of MPRN’s not fully utilised Specific MPRN’s not submitted prior to a service going in the ground Job cancelled or deferred and xoserve not informed Not registered UIP Existing Services not set to DE by Networks UIP’s have system constraints (i.e. IAD, PAF & Conquest) UIP process controls (e.g. preliminary checks, MPRN allocation to jobs and validations) Awareness of existing services Non valid MPRN’s MPRN requests are submitted prior to service in the ground Rejections not re-submitted Duplicate files submitted Data Quality Quotation accepted and job complete but no MPRN request submitted UIP preliminary validation (Rejection Volumes 10%) UIP knowledge of process Critical information not provided (where applicable) IGT’s Xoserve Require full access to all Networks MAP’s systems MPRN Information not passed onto Networks/Shippers from UIP’s Existing Services not Set to DE & in some cases set to DE in error Non tagging of Services or tagged incorrectly No job to lay the service is completed Duplicates UIP Cancellation Reports (Shippers have already conformed) Non submission of Cancellation Request Timescales Shippers not informed who proceed with confirmation which generates MOD517 Exceptions (MPRN has meter attached, MPRN at RQ & CO status, MPRN is at DE or EX status, MPRN is live with a Shipper and meter attached)

Shipper M Number Creation process Finish Start 7. M Number details provided date meter work planned 1. Meter installation required End Consumer 2. M Number requested for creation on UK Link via FOM or MNC 5. Details provided of M Number created on UK Link 6. MPRN provided to MAM meter work planned 4. Reinvestigated by Shipper Shipper Rejected 3. System validation checks performed Accepted xoserve

Duplicates (MNC, FOM and Fast Tracks) MOD517’s Knowledge of MNC & FOM process UIP’s not submitting original request Rejection Prevention (Current Average 12%) Communication Data Quality Systems (Individuals not having the full range of “user pays” systems/ services to complete their validations) IGT/ LPG’s Job Cancellations Tagging of Services Requests received for existing MPRN’s & addresses MPRN Failures (Does not generate) Previously submitted queries MPRN is not confirmed twelve months after creation No cancellations received Duplicates created as no ISO raised

Discussion Points Meter / No meter (service only) installation required What checks are carried out to identify if a meter exists? How is it established that there is a service in the ground? When a plot address is provided for the original creation are there triggers in place to re-investigate correct postal address once the MPRN is confirmed? How do you determine if it is a IGT site? If the customer is unable to read the tag on the service do your staff contact the UIP? If it is a block of flats is a site visit made if you are unable to identify the tag is a site visit carried out? M Number requested for creation on UK Link via FOM or MNC Are all queries submitted directly to Conquest? Can you explain how you differentiate an MNC from a FOM query? If an existing service is on site how are query rejections avoided? What measures do you have in place to prevent both a FOM & MNC query being submitted under the same address? What preliminary investigations/ checks do you carry out (for example: systems & services etc.) before a request is submitted? If an MPRN exists where for the property do you ascertain the MPRN from? System validation checks performed Over the past twelve months the average rejection rate for Fast Track queries is 12.10% (6,714 rejected queries since Nov 2008) what could be done by yourselves in order to help reduce this figure? What current validation measures do you have in place to prevent rejections? Do you have any ideas on how we could help reduce rejection rates further? The highest rejection reasons are AES (The requested MPRN already exists on UKLink for this site) or MAE (A different MPRN already exists on UKLink for this site). The majority could be avoided by interrogating IAD or contacting Data Centre? Is their a culture within your company to avoid using the “user pays” services in order to reduce costs? 4. Re-investigated Are the staff involved with this process aware of the rejection reasons and how they are defined? If an MPRN/address has been identified on our systems what action is taken by your staff? What processes do you have in place to handle rejections? (i.e. is it picked up by the originator (If call centre staff in particular?) If existing service is identified as part of the validations is an ISO query raised?

Discussion Points Shipper M Number Creations 5. Details of MPRN created on UK-Link How do shippers determine if an MPRN is created? How is the Supplier of the meter advised? If so, please explain how? Are details passed to Confirmation Team? If so, please explain how? Currently we receive no job cancellation requests from Shippers. Could it be explained as to why this does not happen (e.g. is it dealt with through the UIP’s)? Is the UIP informed that a fast track has been submitted to avoid duplication? If no tag was present on the service and you are aware it was laid post 2002. Is the Connection company contacted to tag the service correctly?

Unregistered and Shipperless Process Confirmation Issued To All Shippers Issued To Specific Shippers Shipper No Confirmation Within 2 Months Shipperless Report – Produced Bi-monthly. Consists of: GSRs and TOGs start Shipper Activity Report. Consists of: Confirmation Rejections Conquest MNo Requests UK-Link Meter Update Rejection Service Request Contact UIP, Network or MAM to verify service laid and possible meter fitted Service Installed Orphaned Report Activity Service Cancelled Meter Point set to EX xoserve Unregistered Reports – Produced Bi-Monthly. Contains MPRs that have not been confirmed 12 Months after their created date Service Not Yet Completed Legitimately Unregistered. Consists of: Vacant Sites No Gas MOD517 Service Still in Planning start No Activity No Activity Report

Fast Track Analysis We compiled a report listing all Fast Track Queries received over a 2 month period. We carried out some analysis with the aim of identifying why these were not raised via the UIP route. Our Findings were as follows: Volume Percentage UIP Creation rejected and not returned 93 21.7% UIP Creation never raised 270 63% UIP Creation received around the same time 49 11.8% Address or quality issue 15 3.5%