Choosing an energy supplier should be the start of a satisfying, happy relationship in which you check out various gas and electric quotes, find something you are happy with (or which is found by a broker) and get exactly the service you signed up for. However, it is not always that way.
Whether it is issues of supply, pricing, broken promises, or poor customer service, many consumer households and businesses have had good reasons to feel they are getting a raw deal. The question is what to do about it.
There is a process by which you can go about raising and progressing a complaint about your energy provider. How far you take it depends on whether or not the problem is solved swiftly and satisfactorily or not.
This is an important point because while your initial response might be to get very annoyed and want to take your complaint straight to the highest authority, they will not deal with it unless you have taken the initial steps of directly taking up the issue with your provider and given them a chance to put things right.
How To Begin
As Citizens Advice notes, a small business or micro-business should start off with this approach by contacting the supplier directly. Sometimes the problem may be something they are not aware of yet, such as a meter being broken or an error on your bill.
In the first instance, you can ring them or have a webchat. But make sure you note down the date and time you call, the name of the person you talk to and the problem you are discussing.
Ideally, once informed of the problem, they will quickly fix it and all will be well. If not, however, your record of having raised the issue is important evidence for taking matters further.
The next stage will be an email or letter, in which you can name the person you spoke to, creating a point of responsibility and accountability. This correspondence should include your business account number and case reference number, to make it quicker and easier to trace.
Progressing The Complaint
At this stage, you are still reporting an issue rather than formally complaining, but that will be the next step if the issue isn’t tackled at this point.
Before you send your complaint in, gather evidence to support your case. This includes a photo of your meter if it is faulty, copies of bills, and notes of the contact you have had so far.
Your supplier should have information on their site about how to raise a complaint, be it over the phone, by email, or by letter.
It is after going through this procedure that you can consider taking matters further, should your supplier not resolve the matter to your satisfaction at this point or, worse still, ignore it.
The Role Of The Energy Ombudsman
This is when you can consider taking matters up with the Energy Ombudsman. This service was established in 2006 to provide extra support and protection for consumers to ensure that suppliers who fail to provide the service they should or solve problems cannot do so with impunity. They can also adjudicate in tricky cases where matters are in dispute.
The timescale is important: The original complaint should be solved within eight weeks and you must wait until this long has elapsed without it being sorted out before you can take matters to the Ombudsman.
You can also act if you have received what is known as a ‘deadlock’ letter from your energy supplier, which means your problem cannot be solved, or if you are simply not satisfied with the way they have responded to your complaint.
As ever, you should supply information to highlight evidence in your favour, as this can support your case. The Ombudsman will also require the energy provider to respond and put its side of the story.
The Final Stage
After this, taking into account all the facts, the Ombudsman will make a decision. Suppliers are obliged to abide by this and take any action they are ordered to do. This can include not just fixing your problem, but providing explanations where appropriate and potentially paying compensation (the latter being an obvious remedy if they have overcharged you).
This should lead to a solution, although the ombudsman will advise you on what you can do if you are unhappy with the final decision.
Ultimately, this system is in place to ensure you don’t just have to put up with things. So if your supplier is not giving you the service you pay for, or is overcharging you, there is a clear path to follow to get things put right.
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