You could get money back if certain essential services like electricity and water are disrupted by the heat
With a rare red heat health alert issued amid fears temperatures could reach 40C in London and beyond this week, it’s expected that the extreme heat could cause widespread disruption.
Essential services such as energy, internet and trains could all be impacted by the sweltering temperatures, so you may be wondering what rights you have in the instance that these services go down.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the red health warning for six regions of England – the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and east of England – from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday. A separate amber health alert has also been put in place for the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber for the same period, reports the Mirror.
Train delays and cancellations
Rail passengers have been warned to brace themselves for delays and cancellations throughout this period of extreme weather, as soaring temperatures can cause tracks to expand and buckle. Generally speaking, you are entitled to compensation if you arrive at your final destination 15 minutes or more late.
Should your train be between 15 and 29 minutes late, you are eligible to claim back 25 per cent of your ticket cost. For delays of between 30 and 59 minutes, a 50 per cent refund on the ticket price applies, while delays exceeding an hour typically entitle you to a full100 per cent refund.
Delay compensation for a return ticket is typically calculated based on half the total cost of the return ticket, for the portion of the journey that was delayed, rather than the whole ticket price.
Internet outages
Should your internet connection fail during periods of hot weather, you may be eligible for compensation if the issue isn’t resolved quickly.
If your service is not restored after two complete working days, you’re entitled to £10.34 for every calendar day it stays broken, according to Ofcom. Additionally, if an engineer fails to attend a scheduled appointment, or cancels with fewer than 24 hours’ notice, you could be entitled to £32.31 per missed visit.
Power outages
Warm weather can drive up energy consumption, potentially resulting in power cuts. The increased electricity demand typically stems from people running air conditioning systems and fans to stay cool.
Ofgem states that should your property lose power for more than 12 hours, with fewer than 5,000 premises affected, you will be eligible for £95 compensation. This is followed by an additional £45 for every subsequent 12-hour period without electricity.
For disruptions affecting more than 5,000 homes and businesses, you’ll receive £95 if you’ve been without power for over 24 hours, followed by £45 for every further 12 hours without supply, capped at £390 in total.
If your gas supply is unexpectedly interrupted, you’re entitled to a minimum of £70 in compensation for every 24-hour period you’re left without gas.
Water disruption
Should your water supply be interrupted by an emergency and not restored within 12 hours of your supplier learning of the problem, you will be entitled to £20 compensation for the initial 24 hours. You’ll then receive an extra £10 for every subsequent 24-hour period that the supply continues to be disrupted.
That said, if the problem involves a strategic main pipe, your supplier is granted 48 hours to resolve the matter before compensation becomes applicable.
Your water company is obliged to arrange an alternative water supply, such as bottled water or tankers, should you be left without provision for more than 12 hours. However, it’s crucial to note that you may not be entitled to compensation if the water company is unable to restore the supply due to the heat.
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