Frequently asked questions

If you smell gas call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.

Make sure you put out any naked flames, open doors and windows, keep people away from the area and turn the gas off at the emergency control valve.

If you suspect a gas leak you should do the following things immediately:

• Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999
• Open all doors and windows
• Turn off the gas supply at the emergency control value if possible, unless the meter is located in a cellar or basement. The emergency control valve is located near your gas meter
• Do not turn lights on or off and avoid using other electrical switches and appliances
• Don’t smoke, light a match or any other naked flame

Our engineers will always make the situation safe when called to a suspected gas escape. However, the emergency service provided by Northern Gas Networks under the terms of our license doesn’t cover repairs to appliances or installation pipework which can’t be completed in 30 minutes.

When you dial 0800 111 999, a call handler will ask for information including:

• The address/ location of the suspected gas escape or gas emergency
• How many people are at the property
• Where the smell is most noticeable
• Are any neighbours affected
• Your name and phone number
• Any special circumstances or access information

Northern Gas Networks aims to attend all uncontrolled gas escapes within one hour, and all controlled escapes within two hours.

A controlled gas escape is one where the person reporting it has confirmed that the gas emergency control valve serving the premises has been turned off and the smell of gas has gone.

An uncontrolled gas escape covers all others.

Sometimes, our Rapid Response Engineers will be sent to a leak that has been reported outdoors. Around a quarter of these turn out not to be gas leaks. Around 80% of gas escapes we attend are inside buildings. That means the escape is related to internal pipework, a boiler, gas fire or other gas appliances.

If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide (CO) you should always ring the National Gas Emergency Service immediately.

Once we have made the property safe, our Rapid Response Engineer will explain that any work on appliances (cookers, boilers or fires) has to be carried out by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

You can find details on the Gas Safe Register website.

It doesn’t happen often and when it does, we promise to get you back on as quickly as possible.

If you do find yourself with no gas supply, you should do the following immediately:

• Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999
• Open all doors and windows
• Turn off the gas supply at the emergency control value if possible, unless the meter is located in a cellar or basement. The emergency control valve is located near your gas meter
• Do not turn lights on or off and avoid using other electrical switches and appliances
• Don’t smoke, light a match or any other naked flame

No one wants to be without heating, hot water or the ability to cook. We’ll do everything we can to get your gas back on as quickly as possible.

We’ll provide electrical heaters and hot plates for those who need them the most while the gas is turned off.

Make sure you wear extra layers to keep warm and drink plenty of hot drinks.

National Grid is responsible for ensuring the national gas pipeline system is kept in balance. It ensures a balance system by buying and selling gas, and using stored gas to ensure that in the most normal circumstances, demand can be met.

Usually the system is balanced by gas bought on the open market through the ‘On the Day Commodity Market (OCM)’. This was set up as part of the Network Code, the rules that govern the supply of gas.

National Grid also has gas in store (the so called Top-up and Operating Margins gas) to ensure the system is balanced and that supplies are maintained.

Visit the Find My Supplier website: www.findmysupplier.energy

Visit the Find My GDN website: www.findmygdn.co.uk