Energy Ombudsman

Today is National Energy Action (NEA)’s #FuelPovertyAwarenessDay. NEA defines fuel poverty as a household needing to use 10% of their income on keeping their home warm. They estimate that approximately 6 million UK households are currently in this category. #FuelPoverty can arise from high energy costs, inefficiencies in homes, and low incomes. Issues such as incorrect billing, payments/debt and problems with smart meters can directly impact consumer finances. While our recent data has shown a drop in the number of cases handled by our service, there are still many people struggling with energy bills. The NEA continues to do great work towards ending fuel poverty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you’re looking for Fuel Poverty information in Scotland, please visit their sister charity Energy Action Scotland. We’d like to remind all UK energy consumers that our service is free and easy to use. If you can’t resolve your dispute with your energy supplier after eight weeks, or you have received a deadlock letter, you can contact us to discuss your dispute. #EnergyOmbudsman #FuelPoverty #Energysector #Energy 

This week we have published our Q3 data. The data shows that our service has handled 21,063 cases during this period, 27% fewer than the same period in 2023.      The top dispute categories in 2024 so far have been billing, customer service and smart meters, which reflects a similar pattern to 2023.    Please note this report has been republished following an error in the data contained within the initial report.  https://lnkd.in/eDGW9hrx

Last week we hosted a roundtable event with a diverse group of 14 brokers, joined virtually by representatives from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The event served as an opportunity to explore how we can strengthen our engagement with brokers and ensure that we are providing a service that works for all stakeholders. During the session, we discussed their experiences with our service, gained insights into key sector challenges, and reviewed the potential implications of TPI regulation. The discussions were both constructive and challenging, with a wide range of perspectives shared. A big thank you to everyone who participated and to DESNZ for their valuable contributions to the session. We are developing an action plan based on the suggestions made, and some of the insights will be included in our next Broker report. If you’d like to get involved in future engagement activities or suggest topics for discussion, please don’t hesitate to reach out at energybrokers@energyombudsman.org

Our decision regarding changes to our maximum award for non-domestic cases has now been posted on our website. Effective from 19 December 2024, we will increase the maximum award for non-domestic energy disputes from £10,000 to £20,000. This change coincides with our remit being extended to cover small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from the same date. The maximum award for disputes with brokers will remain at £10,000. You can read our full response here: https://lnkd.in/d5hj-PBD

This week we published new research that reveals less than 10% of UK consumers are ‘very confident’ about the benefits green heating and insulation products can deliver. While confidence may be low, awareness of products is relatively high. When asked about which products consumers were aware of, solar panels (85%) and home insulation (80%) products were most widely known. On the other hand, two thirds (65%) and over a half (52%) of consumers were not aware of biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps, respectively. Another area cited as a confidence driver is regulation, with over a third of consumers stating they would feel more confident should a governing body be introduced. The results clearly tell us that consumers are aware, but not assured. So, what’s needed to increase consumer confidence in Green Energy? https://lnkd.in/eZ2RbWPZ #GreenEnergy #NetZero #Regulation #Energy #ConsumerConfidence

Our simple process makes it easier than ever to raise a dispute with your #energysupplier, but don’t just take our word for it #customerfeedback Find out how we could help you at www.energyombudsman.org #ombudsman #heating #gas #heatnetwork #energybroker #complaints 

At the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, colleagues from across Trust Alliance Group will pause to honour and remember them. #RemembranceDay #LestWeForget

If you're having issues with your energy supplier, energy broker, network operator, green deal or heat network supplier, we may be able to help resolve your dispute. Before you contact us, you should notify your supplier and work with them to try and resolve the issue. They have 8 weeks to resolve your issue unless they send you a ‘deadlock letter’ enabling you to come to us sooner. The most common types of energy disputes are about: • Gas and electricity bills. • Smart meters and Feed-in-Tariffs • Customer service • Problems that arise as a result of switching energy supplier • The way an energy product or service has been sold, including door step sales • The supply of energy to a home. You can search for your supplier and raise a dispute via our website at https://lnkd.in/e97cz9dR #energy #ombudsman #energyretail #energycomplaints

We provide a free and impartial service to resolve disputes between consumers and energy suppliers. If you can’t resolve your dispute with your energy supplier after eight weeks or you have received a deadlock letter, you can contact us. For more information or to raise a dispute online visit our website www.energyombudsman.org #energy #ombudsman #energyretail #energycomplaints

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Energy Consumers), to our Warrington office to meet with our team, and learn more about Energy Ombudsman. The visit was an opportunity for us to share the work that we do to build, restore, and maintain trust, while strengthening our relationship with political leaders. Energy Ombudsman works closely with political stakeholders across the UK to share data and insight, helping to create better policy and regulation to improve consumer experiences and build trust in the sector. We discussed our commitment to supporting energy consumers and how we work with suppliers to use our complaints data and consumer feedback to drive meaningful improvements across the sector. Thank you to #MiattaFahnbulleh for taking the time to meet with us. We had a productive discussion, and the visit was a really positive experience for all of our team and will leave a lasting impression. #EnergyConsumers #MiattaFahnbulleh #energy #DESNZ #ombudsman #energyombudsman