Complaints
Follow the right complaint process to resolve energy supplier disputes.
Energy suppliers must offer a formal complaints process. You can use it for problems with bills, tariffs, payments or service.
Start with the correct procedure. Also, keep everything in writing. This can make an energy bill dispute much easier to resolve.
Suppliers should aim to resolve complaints within 8 weeks. After that, eligible unresolved cases can usually go to the Energy Ombudsman.
A phone call can help raise the issue. However, always use your supplier’s formal complaints process too.
Email the complaints team where possible. Explain clearly:
What happened
When it happened
How it affected your energy bill or account
What you want the supplier to do
Next, keep copies of everything. Save your emails, bills, meter readings and replies.
These records can support you later. In particular, they can help if you need to escalate an energy supplier complaint.
If your energy supplier complaint is still unresolved after 8 weeks, or your supplier sends you a deadlock letter, you can take the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman. The service is free for consumers and they can investigate disputes about energy bills, accounts, tariffs and customer service. The Ombudsman can require suppliers to take action, such as correcting an account or making a payment, with decisions binding on the supplier when accepted.
Energy suppliers generally can’t charge you for energy used more than 12 months ago when the supplier is at fault for failing to bill you correctly. If you receive a large backdated energy bill, check whether the 12-month back-billing rule applies, as you may not have to pay charges relating to the older period.