Frequently Asked Questions

The best way to get through to the right person is to call the number on the letters we sent you. Otherwise you can email us at mainsreplacement@cadentgas.com including your name, postcode and contact telephone number.

We have different teams, with different skills, doing different parts of the work. The team doing the pipework may have left because their part of the job is done, but the fitters who reconnect the gas are likely to still be in homes, safely turning the gas back on and checking gas appliances. They work up to as late as 8pm. If you still haven't had a visit by 7:30pm, call the number on the card or letters that you've already received about the mains replacement to arrange an appointment.

We turn the gas off in the mornings to allow us to work safely on the pipes. Once the new mains has been laid and connected to the pipes that feed people's homes, we have a team of fitters who go into all the properties, reconnect the supply and test the gas appliances. This can be as late as 8pm.

If you still haven't got gas by 7:30pm call the enquiry line number in the letters or cards you've received about the work and explain you still don't have gas.

We have to go into all the homes and test all the gas appliances to check they're safe when turning the gas back on. Our fitters work well into the evening and it could be as late as 8pm when you get a visit. If you haven't heard anything by 7:30pm, call the number on the letters or cards you've had about the work.

We have a commitment to fill holes and return the paths and driveways on your property back to normal within five working days of your gas going back on. If you have a path or driveway made of specialist or hard-to-source materials, such as printed concrete, this may take slightly longer.

We will be in touch to discuss this with you. However, if it is longer than five working days, please call the number on the letters you have received or email mainsreplacement@cadentgas.com

You'll get a letter with the dates we expect to start the work around 10-15 days ahead of our start date.

Lots of things can affect the exact start date and cause it to change, so it's impossible to give an accurate date too far in advance but by 10-15 days this is less likely.

We will then be in contact around two days ahead of working on your property to advise you of when we'll need access to your property and what days you'll be off gas.

We won't know ahead of this time exactly what date that will be, but please do speak to the engineers when they arrive and they should be able to give you more information.

If you're on holiday when the letter arrives and we start work while you're away, we shall do the work around your house as much as we can.

There's a chance your gas will be disconnected and you'll have to contact us on your return to arrange to have the works completed and the gas turned back on. However, there may be a possibility that the work is still ongoing when you return.

The best course of action is, if you can, speak to one of the engineers in the street before you go away and discuss your holiday plans with them. Or if that's not possible, speak to them directly on your return.

Otherwise, please phone the number on the card we will post through your letterbox when we weren't able to gain access.

There should have been a card left for you with a number to call to arrange for an appointment to come and turn your gas back on. It could be that the fitters are still in your local area, so if you see them in the street you can arrange it with them directly. If you can't find the card with the direct number, call our enquiry line on 0845 835 1111 ( *This call will cost 7 per minute plus your phone company's access charge) and we'll get someone to call you to arrange an appointment.

There are usually sound operational reasons why a hole has not been filled back in. For example, the nature of our work means it is often necessary for an excavation to remain open to provide an access to a part of the network in connection with other work that is taking place locally.

Sometimes this can be done. However, there are often reasons why it just isn't possible. For example, it is sometimes the case that pipes and/or cables need to be physically in different places. Or the technology being used means that trenches aren't required for Cadent to carry out the necessary work.

And in the case of gas emergency work, this is not work that has been planned in advance and therefore co-ordination with other street works activity isn't an option. Safety is Cadent's number one priority and if we are called to deal with a gas leak, we must carry out whatever work is necessary as quickly as possible.

There could be a number of different reasons for this happening.

If we are called to deal with a gas escape, then we have a statutory responsibility to attend the location and make it safe. Work of this nature cannot be planned.

Or it may be that other people working in the same place have fractured a gas pipe or displaced it. Again, we have to attend to carry out any necessary maintenance or repairs.

Another possible reason might be if we were asked by a customer to provide a new connection, perhaps to a new property or to premises previously without gas.

To ensure that we can continue to deliver a safe and efficient gas supply to your homes it's really important that we replace our pipes when they come to the end of their life.

We have a programme to replace all the old iron mains with plastic mains and because these pipes are underground it inevitably means having to dig down to get to the pipe.

Whenever possible we use new technology to help minimise disruption, such as inserting the new pipe inside the original main. These can help speed up the process and reduce the need for digging trenches.

Although it may appear that there is no-one working on the site, it doesn't mean the work has actually been completed.

Sometimes, for safety reasons, we have to allow one process to 'settle' before starting the next stage.

Even after the main work has been completed, we cannot reinstate the ground in one go - a temporary surface will be laid but this has to be given time to settle before the top layer (of concrete, asphalt etc) can, in turn, be laid and set.

Only when this full reinstatement has taken place is it safe for us to allow traffic to use the section of the road once more.

We always aim to keep businesses, customers and motorists advised of any major planned work in their vicinity. We send out standard advance warning notices to people, and where appropriate, carry out personal visits.

In some cases, we organise public exhibitions to explain what the plans are and why the work is necessary. This also provides an opportunity for people to ask questions and discuss some of the detail.

We also provide information to AA Roadwatch and the local media.

If you visit our ‘In your street’ you can sign up for email alerts about out roadworks.

We need to be aware of, and sympathetic to, the needs of businesses, residents and those who use the area.

We also need to ensure that any noisy work is not carried out in a particularly intrusive, anti-social, way.

It is essential that Cadent carry out the work and our engineers work hard to make sure that disruption to homes and businesses are kept to a minimum. However, there will inevitably be some disruption and may include some businesses that do not use gas.

You may qualify if you are a small business which relies on people being able to visit your premises for your business to carry out normal trade.

Claims can only be made in respect of planned gas mains replacement work and not in respect of work carried out to deal with gas emergencies or escapes.

Certain criteria must be met in order to make a claim, as set out by the Gas (Streetworks) (Compensation of small businesses) Regulations 1996.

How to claim

Call: 0845 7573202
*This call will cost 7 per minute plus your phone company's access charge.

Write to:
Cadent,
Customer Support
Hinckley Operational Centre
Brick Kiln Street
Hinckley
Leicestershire
LE10 ONA

Email:
cs.busclaims@cadentgas.com