Complain about your energy supplier

How to complain if you are unhappy with your energy supplier’s service and what to do if they cannot fix the problem.

If you are unhappy with your energy supplier’s service, you have the right to complain. 

Problems commonly involve: 

  • meters 
  • bills 
  • switching energy supplier 
  • customer service 

Contact your supplier 

You should contact your supplier and explain the problem to them. Tell them what you would like them to do to make it right.  

Your supplier’s contact details will be shown on their website as well as on your energy bill.  

You can write or send an email to your energy supplier using the Citizens Advice complaints letter template. 

If your supplier cannot fix the issue, you can escalate your complaint. They should have a formal complaints procedure on their website or energy bills that explains how to do this. Your supplier can also explain the complaints procedure if you contact them by phone. 

Your energy supplier must try to fix the problem within eight weeks. Make a note of the date you first contacted them in case you need to check this later on. 

Contact the Energy Ombudsman 

If you are not happy with your supplier’s response or the problem is still not fixed within eight weeks you can complain to the Energy Ombudsman. 

Your supplier may contact you at any time during the eight weeks to notify you that they cannot fix the problem. This is known as a deadlock letter. 

The Energy Ombudsman can make suppliers: 

  • fix problems 
  • apologise, or explain what happened 
  • pay compensation 

Suppliers must carry out the actions listed in the Energy Ombudsman’s decision. 

Support 

Citizens Advice offer advice for people in England and Wales.

You can get extra help from Citizens advice with your complaint if you: 

  • have reached pension age  
  • are disabled or have a long-term medical condition 
  • are recovering from an injury 
  • have a hearing or sight condition 
  • have a mental health condition 
  • are pregnant or have children aged under 5 years 
  • have extra communication needs (such as if you do not speak or read English well) 
  • cannot safeguard your welfare or the welfare of other members in your household because of your age, health, disability or severe financial insecurity 
  • are eligible for the Priority Services Register, a support service for people in vulnerable situations 

Citizens Advice also provides support for microbusiness. 

If you live in Scotland, you can get advice from energyadvice.scot. 

Complaints about environmental schemes and network operators 

Environmental schemes 

Make a complaint by contacting Environmental and Social Schemes. 

Network operators 

Email: consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk  

Phone: 020 7901 7295