Making a complaint to your energy company

If you're having a problem with your energy company or you feel like you've been treated unfairly, you have the right to make a complaint.

What can I make a complaint about?

If something goes wrong or you feel like you’ve been treated unfairly by your energy supplier, you can make a complaint. These things can include things like:

• late or inaccurate bills
• problems resulting from switching supplier or tariff
• faulty meters
• issues with their website.

For complaints about power cuts or connection problems, you should contact your distribution network operator, which is the company in charge of the supply to your area. 

Find out who your network operator is on the Energy Networks Association website

How do I make a complaint?

When making your complaint, make sure that you keep a record of any calls, emails, letters or receipts. For phone calls, note down the date and the time, as well as the names of the people you speak to. If you have to send anything off, always send photocopies and keep a hold of the originals.

If you're having problems with your energy supplier, follow the steps outlined below. 

1. Contact your energy company

If you're having a problem with your gas or electricity company, contact the customer services department to try to resolve it. You'll find contact details on the back of your bill or on the company's website.

If you feel like you aren't getting anywhere, or if your complaint is complicated, try to escalate your complaint within the company. Ask for a copy of their complaints procedure – most companies have one on their website.

2. Contact the Energy Ombudsman

Contact the Energy Ombudsman to register your dispute if your complaint hasn't been resolved after 8 weeks (6 if you're an SSE customer) or if you're unhappy with the action taken. They can investigate your complaint further and may contact the company to get them to compensate you or put the issue right.

How do I register my complaint?

You can either: 

• register your dispute online on the Energy Ombudsman website, or
• register your dispute by calling the Energy Ombudsman on 0330 440 1624.

Don't stop paying your bills while you're waiting for your complaint to be resolved – you can ask for the disputed part of the bill to be put on hold instead.

Citizens Advice offer free and impartial advice with making a complaint to your energy company or the Energy Ombudsman. You can call their consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or talk to a trained adviser using their online chat feature. 

What should I include in my complaint?

You may be making the complaint in stressful or emotional circumstances but it's important to keep your tone of voice polite and professional in both spoken and written correspondence. You should include:

• what happened or went wrong – be as specific as you can and try not to make generalisations
• when it happened
• why you were unhappy
• what you'd like to happen as a result of your complaint. 

Make sure to send supporting documents as evidence and list these in your email or letter.