MVM will carry out a major IT system upgrade affecting its natural gas customer service system between September 21 and 29, with restrictions on customer services already expected from September 17 due to preparations, the company announced.
According to MVM, natural gas-related administration will be limited at both telephone and in-person customer service centres from September 17 until early October, and some requests may take longer than usual to process.
From 9 a.m. on September 17 until 9 a.m. on September 30, natural gas services will be unavailable through the online customer service portal and the MVM Next app.
During the system transition, customers will not be able to arrange contracts, including changes of users, the connection of new or existing consumption points, or switching energy suppliers. Changes to contractual data will also be unavailable, and orders for certain technical services will be suspended.
The transition will also affect billing and bill payments. Natural gas bills expected during the transition may arrive later than usual. Online credit or debit card payments for electronic bills will not be available from 9 a.m. on September 17 until 9 a.m. on September 30. Customers will instead be able to pay these bills by individual bank transfer.
Paper bills can continue to be paid by bank transfer, while customers who normally pay by cheque can continue to use cheques and the iCsekk app. During the transition, individual cheques cannot be issued and card payments at customer service offices will not be available. Payments through Díjnet will continue to work, although payment information may not appear immediately.
Customers paying by direct debit do not need to use another payment method. MVM will automatically initiate the debits after September 30. Customers should ensure that sufficient funds and the required debit limit are available as usual.
Customers whose meter-reading period falls during the transition will not be able to submit their meter readings through the usual online or automated telephone services. Instead, an estimated partial bill will be issued, which may be corrected the following month based on the actual meter reading. Meter readings for customers with individual commercial contracts will remain unchanged.
Customers affected by annual photo-based meter readings during the maintenance period in the service areas of MVM Főgáz and MVM Égáz-Dégáz will receive personalised notifications about their revised reading period.
Customers with prepaid gas meters will only be able to top them up at MVM’s in-person customer service offices during opening hours between September 17 and 30. Top-ups will not be available at weekends, post offices or through the Lapker network. MVM therefore asks affected customers to ensure that their gas meters have sufficient credit by September 16.
Customers whose gas supply has been disconnected due to outstanding debts are advised to settle their arrears according to the personalised information they have received from MVM.
The system transition will also affect the management of short-term capacity requirements for customers on the competitive market. MVM asks these customers to submit any short-term capacity requirements covering the shutdown period to MVM Next by 9 a.m. on September 17.
MVM says continuously updated information about the maintenance and system transition is available on its dedicated information page.
