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Guidance Notes

For all metered and generation connection applications (excluding budget and feasibility study requests), where an applicant is not the landowner or occupier, we require a letter of authority to be submitted at the application stage.

What is a Letter of Authority?

This is a letter from the landowner, tenant or occupier giving permission to the person, company or other third party applying for a connection offer on their land the legal right to act on their behalf.

There are two instances where a letter of authority may be required. First where the connecting customer is not the landowner. In this case the landowner will need to grant authority to the connecting customer to apply for a connection on their land.

The second is where the connecting customer wishes to appoint a third party to act on their behalf as the commercial contact and/or the payer.

When do we require a Letter of Authority?

The letter(s) of authority will form part of the application process and should be provided upfront as an email attachment, with your application form.

Why do we require a Letter of Authority?

The Connection Offer/Agreement is with the landowner. If we are taking instructions from a third party, we need to know that they are authorised to act. 

Who should the Letter of Authority be from?

Where the connecting customer is not the landowner, the letter of authority should be from the Landowner appointing the Connecting Customer.

Where the connecting customer wishes to appoint a commercial contact or payer, they should also provide a letter of authority stating this.

What must be included in a Letter of Authority?

At the bottom of this page are three letter of authority templates which can be downloaded for use.

Where you do not wish to use one of these templates, the letter should clearly provide the following information:

  • Full address of each party (on letter head if appropriate)
  • Company number and place of registration (if applicable)
  • Full name of each party, including company name of person/company being given authority to act
  • Role of person giving authority (eg landowner)
  • A sentence confirming what authority they are being given
  • A sentence confirming who is being given authority to act
  • Signature of party providing consent
  • Date of signature, dated within the last 12 months
  • Site address

Blanket Letter of Authority – when an application is made for a number of sites these can be made under one letter of authority provided the template (at the bottom of this page) is still used.  Site reference (name of site and address) can be sent on an Excel spreadsheet along with the Letter of Authority.

Please note that a letter of authority is valid for a maximum period of 12 months. If the required information is not provided or is unclear, then we reserve the right to request further information, which could cause delays to your connection offer.

Are there exceptions to the requirement to provide a Letter of Authority at application?

The following metered connection application types are currently exempt from this requirement.

  • Provision of a quotation for a single Low Voltage, single phase connection
  • Provision of a quotation for small LV projects:
    - 2-4 LV single phase domestic services or
    - A single two or three phase whole current metered connection
  • Provision of a quotation for domestic microgen connection adding LV generation
  • Applications from IDNOs
  • Stand-alone diversion
  • Service alteration
  • Budget Estimates
  • Feasibility Studies

We reserve the right to request a letter of authority in all scenarios.

Letter of Authority Templates

Once you have downloaded and completed your template please send it to us by emailing connections@ssen.co.uk