Ofgem & Ombudsman Services Energy: A Helping Hand For Businesses

Business customers, just like residential users, suffer from great energy prices, power disruptions, and poor customer service from energy companies. These hinder them from saving, enjoying their profit, and affect their work. Fortunately, there are departments in the United Kingdom that lend a helping hand to businesses when it comes to their complaints. These companies deal with the energy suppliers through a thorough investigation of the problem. It helps the complainant, as well as the other people, become aware whether the energy suppliers have crossed the line with their energy hike.

Ofgem and Ombudsman Services Energy prioritise the interest of the energy customers to secure quality service from the gas and electric providers. These two are the trusted sectors that handle customer complaints from the Big Six and up to the small, independent suppliers.

Who Is Ofgem?

As an independent regulation department, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets work with the government but not as a part of it. Ofgem aims to secure the customer’s interest monitoring the energy market and the competition, promoting value for the customer’s money, and regulating the scheme of the government. The department is also responsible for the securing the flow of the electric and gas supply as well as the sustainability of home and business energy customers.

Businesses who have problems with their current energy suppliers can seek help from the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA) accredited department. They devise an easy to follow complaint procedure for the customer’s ease. However, it is the job of the business customer to notify their current supplier first about their problem. It can be done through phone, email, or writing. The energy supplier’s contact number is found on their website or billing statement. This lets the energy supplier know about the problem and how it can be resolved.

All energy suppliers are expected to handle complaints professionally and proactively. In any case, the problem was not handled properly or not dealt with at all, business customers may ask support from Citizens Advice consumer service on their website or by calling 03454 040506. Ofgem may also start probing to know more about the problem.

Complaining with Ombudsman Services Energy

Meanwhile, the problem can be dealt with further with the help of another department. The energy supplier will be given 8 weeks to resolve the customer complaint, otherwise, Ombudsman Services Energy will probe the energy supplier. As part of their requirements, the energy provider should resolve the issue by handling the problem, apologising, providing an explanation about the concern, and lending financial awards.

However, there are only specific complaints that the Ombudsman Services Energy can handle such as concerns after switching to a new supplier, inappropriate selling techniques such as doorstep selling, micro-generations, and power disruption and other concerns with energy supply. The department cannot handle problems related to liquid propane gas (LPG), unjustified or malicious problems, and complaints that are already handled by another court. For price-related concerns, the sector is not responsible for dealing with a price hike that is stated in the terms and conditions of the energy suppliers and other issues that are not covered by their time limits.

Talking With Citizens Advice

Business customers may also seek help from the Citizens Advice. Formerly known as Citizens Advice Bureau, the independent network gives professional advice without any fee. Their free service covers energy supply problems as well as issues dealing with general consumers. The network also provides information that is confidential with the aim of helping energy customers with money, legal, and other issues.

Citizens Advice also conducts probing to assist vulnerable energy customers who complain about threatened power disconnection or have received the actual disconnection of energy supply.

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