Record level of power organization complaints reported to business ombudsman
Ombudsman Services, which offers with disputes vitality suppliers have not resolved right after eight weeks, noticed complaints hit a new record higher in February 
Photo: BLOOMBERG
Disgruntled power customers lodged a record amount of complaints with the sector ombudsman last month, in a developing backlash against bad customer services as household payments rise.
Ombudsman Providers – which adjudicates on disputes that have not been resolved soon after at least eight weeks – acquired 3,626 complaints in February 2014, far more than treble the level a yr prior to.
There was a 280 per cent surge in complaints associated to altering to a various vitality supplier, as switching ranges soared in the wake of value rises announced last autumn, with even the Prime Minister urging home to shop all around.
Ombudsman figures showed 537 folks lodged complaints in February relevant to switches going wrong – up from 141 the identical month a yr before.
Billing disputes remained the greatest source of customer complaints, with a huge improve in buyers complaining they had not obtained a bill at all, at 700, up from just 49 a year just before.
Lewis Shand Smith, chief energy ombudsman, explained: “We’re witnessing a record degree of complaints relating to the vitality sector as the value of residing debate continues to dominate headlines, which is evident in the 252 per cent rise compared to the exact same time final 12 months.
“Issues relating to billing in certain have been a key source of aggravation in February as buyers turn out to be more aware of their entitlements and are less likely to settle for bad services.”
The Large 6 energy companies received far more than five.five million complaints final year , in accordance to Which?.
A spokesman for EnergyUK, the sector entire body, mentioned: “No one particular likes complaints, but, energy firms get their relationship with their customers extremely significantly and function hard to improve their client support.
“4 out of 5 queries are resolved by the finish of the next working day – including even minor ‘expressions of dissatisfaction.’
“The sector is creating alterations to turn out to be much more open and clear with all clients, generating it straightforward to switch and producing confident they get the cheap discounts which are out there.”