Energy Ombudsman

If you've complained to your energy provider and the issue has remained unresolved, you’re probably wondering what to do next.

Read on to find out the role of the Energy Ombudsman and how they can assist you with your complaint.

Who is the Energy Ombudsman?

The Energy Ombudsman is a free service designed to independently handle disputes between consumers and energy suppliers.

Complaining to the Ombudsman about your supplier can help expedite a resolution. The Ombudsman can force your supplier to take one or all of the following actions:-

• Resolve your issue
• Issue an apology or response to your issue
• Provide compensation

How can the Energy Ombudsman help me?

If your complaint with your supplier is not resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner, you should contact the Energy Ombudsman.

The Energy Ombudsman can provide assistance if your complaint is to do with any of the following:-

• Energy service loss
• Contract disputes
• Energy bills
• Microgeneration and Feed-in Tariffs
• An energy supplier's marketing activities

Problems associated with switching suppliers

If you have issues related to switching your gas and electricity, the Energy Ombudsman can help.

Issues to do with switching suppliers include:-

Wrongly transferred supply

If your supply of energy was switched in error.

The UK energy industry regulator Ofgem has introduced an automatic compensation amount of £30 for any wrongly transferred supply.

Delay in transfer

If you haven't been transferred to your new supplier on the specified date.

Supply not being transferred

In cases where your current supplier objects to a transfer.

Timing of your final bill

If you have not received a final bill from your previous supplier within 6 weeks of switching.

Refund of credit balance

If a refund has not been received within 10 working days of the final bill being issued, or if there are discrepancies related to the credit amount.

What issues can't the Energy Ombudsman assist with?

Although the Energy Ombudsman can provide assistance for a range of issues, complaints about the following falls out of their purview:-

• Commercial decisions made by companies about whether to provide a product or service.
  
• Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Before submitting a claim to the Energy Ombudsman

You can only open a case with the Energy Ombudsman once you've raised a complaint with your energy supplier.

Complaining to your energy supplier not only provides them with 'fair warning', but also allows them an opportunity to resolve the matter directly.

If your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks, you can then take the next step: going to the Energy Ombudsman.

How to contact the Energy Ombudsman

The Energy Ombudsman is available by the following:

Website

Find your supplier and raise a complaint on the Energy Ombudsman site.

Telephone

0330 440 1624

Email

enquiry@energyombudsman.org

Post

Energy Ombudsman
P.O. Box 966
Warrington WA4 9DF