Isle of Man gas disconnection pause to last until January

Isle of Man Energy is the island's monopoly gas provider

Gas customers will not be disconnected over the Christmas period, the Office of Fair Trading has said.

The island's monopoly gas provider Isle of Man Energy put a pause on disconnecting those struggling to pay their bills last month.

Watchdog chairman Tim Glover said disconnections would remain on hold until the second week in January.

Vulnerable gas customers would be signposted to help, with disconnection always "a last resort", he said.

Customers who need additional assistance and support are able to apply to be made priority care customers through the energy provider itself.

Mr Glover faced questions on what action was being taken to protect vulnerable customers in Tynwald.

Debt counselling

He said from mid-September to mid-November the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) had been contacted by 28 "very concerned customers", who had either been disconnected or were warned of disconnection.

Since then he said the watchdog had liaised directly with the firm about 22 of the cases.

Douglas North MHK David Ashford said while this was positive for some, it was "not much comfort" to those who "haven't had a positive outcome".

He called for the OFT to discuss ways to ensure customer payment plans were "realistic" with the energy provider.

Mr Ashford said people faced with disconnection were being asked for sums of money that they were "just never going to be able" pay.

In response Mr Glover urged people to use the OFT's debt counselling service, which could help them come up with a "realistic repayment plan".

The energy provider has updated its disconnection policy, stating it would do everything it could to protect customers against disconnection, "especially where we believe it could damage yours or your family's welfare", particularly those on the priority customer register.

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