CHRIS RICHARDS | 07 OCTOBER 2021
After taking the time to find a responsible business energy supplier, the last thing you want is for something to go wrong and for a timely and reasonable resolution to fail to occur. If this does happen, knowing where you stand and how to raise this through the proper channels is essential.
Here is a guide that will help explain how to make a complaint about your energy supplier if the service you receive is not of an acceptable standard.
Sometimes things can go wrong in the energy industry, and this is true of any industry. The ability to resolve issues quickly and to the satisfaction of all parties involved should be the priority of the energy supplier. If this doesn't happen, you may want to consider raising a complaint.
But what are the main reasons for raising a complaint against energy suppliers? It goes without saying that most cases will differ, but here are some of the most common reasons complaints are made.
A rise in the cost of energy bills is one of the most common reasons customers might complain. Depending on the tariff they are on, prices can go up or down. Here are the main tariffs and how they work;
You should be given a fair warning of price rises, and it is possible in some cases to switch suppliers, penalty-free if this is not given.
It may just be that you disagree with your energy bills and feel like the company has made or continues to make mistakes with your billing.
You should expect a reliable energy supply without unplanned interruption. If you find that you have suffered from unplanned power outages, you may want to consider raising a complaint with the energy supplier.
Sometimes maintenance work will mean that gas or electricity supply has to be switched off. If this is the case, you should be notified with plenty of notice by the energy suppliers so you can plan around this.
Unfair treatment from energy suppliers can include issues incurred after switching suppliers or tariffs or receiving late or inaccurate bills.
You will still be expected to pay your bills on time. Failure to do this can result in penalties or having your energy supply switched off. Making sure you get the information you need from the energy supplier on time and accurately is a right that all customers have.
Raising a complaint is a way for you to raise your issues to the energy supplier and afford them the opportunity to make things right. If no resolution is reached, you can take things further by contacting the Citizens Advice Consumer Service or the Energy Ombudsman.
Here are the ways you can raise your complaint.
Your first step will be raising an official complaint with the energy supplier. You may already have tried to resolve the issue, but if you want to take things further, an official complaint must be raised with them so they have a final opportunity to fix the problem.
If you phone to raise your complaint, it is good to note down all the issues, so nothing is left out. Take a note of the date, time and person you are speaking to. Note down what you have been advised in case this needs to be referred to at a later date.
You can also email or send a letter clearly detailing the complaint and all relevant information for more complicated complaints. If you have a complaint or reference number, this should be included along with your account details.
After you have supplied all relevant information and evidence, your supplier will send you either a decision letter or a letter of deadlock within eight weeks.
If you are unhappy with any decision made or have not received a letter within the eight-week timescale, you can raise this to the Ombudsman.
If you are unsure about how to raise a complaint, who you should be speaking to or require any other advice when dealing with the energy supplier, getting in contact with the Citizens Advice Consumer Service is a great way to get the information, you need.
If you disagree with the energy supplier's decision or they have not got back to you in the advised timescale, raising this to the independent Energy Ombudsman will be your next course of action.
They are in a position to get the supplier to go over the complaint again, decide whether the decision made was fair, and force the supplier to respond to your complaint.
The energy supplier will have 28 days to respond to the energy ombudsman whose resolutions are enforceable in court.
Some cases may end in the Ombudsman advising the supplier to financially compensate you for the inconvenience caused. Other resolutions you could expect includes getting an apology from the energy supplier, a full explanation of what went wrong, an action that will correct the problem, and recommendations that should help the company avoid similar issues in the future.
Your complaint to the Ombudsman must come within 12 months of the decision they have made. If they have not given you a decision or got back to you, it is still advised to contact the Ombudsman as soon as you can.
If a resolution has been found that is satisfactory to both parties, you will be able to move on. It is advised to keep the details of the case safe in case of any further issues so it can be referred to quickly.
You will then be able to decide whether you want to switch energy suppliers when your contract permits.
Reporting an energy supplier is straightforward, but you have to adhere to the timescales and procedures.
The first thing you will have to do is collate all the information and evidence that backs up your case before contacting your energy company. They will then have eight weeks to respond to your complaint with a decision.
If you are not happy with the decision or do not respond within the timescale, you can raise this to the Energy Ombudsman. The Energy Ombudsman is an independent, impartial body that will be able to look at the case and take action if necessary.
For further information about reporting your gas or electricity supplier, you can contact citizens advice who will give you the information you need.
Contacting the Energy Ombudsman is easy after you have followed the other steps needed when raising a complaint.
If you need to contact the energy ombudsman, here is the contact info you will need:
Website - www.ombudsman-services.org
Address - Ombudsman Services: Energy, P.O. Box 966, Warrington, WA4 9DF
Phone number - 0330 440 1624
Email address - enquiry@ombudsman-services.org
The regulator for energy suppliers in the UK is Ofgem. Ofgem stands for the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets with a principal objective of "protecting the interests of existing and future gas and electricity consumers", and they do this by;
This information that contains the number of complaints made and what they are about, is then published and made available to the general public. This gives customers the opportunity to check when it comes time to switch business suppliers.
Suppose a high number of complaints are held up against a particular supplier. In that case, Ofgem has the power to apply sanctions that can prohibit them from taking on new customers to ensure they take the steps necessary to resolve whatever issues are taking place.
Whether you are trying to switch electricity suppliers or looking for a new gas supplier, our quick and easy comparison service makes it easy to reduce business energy bills.
We compare a wide range of business energy suppliers that includes the Big Six and smaller independent companies that may be able to offer a niche service perfect for your business.
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