As a business owner the last thing you’ll want to deal with is an unreliable gas and electricity supply. But if something does go wrong, it’s important to know how to complain about your supplier in the right way. Here’s all you need to know.
Contact your energy supplier
Whether you want to complain about inaccurate energy bills or you’re not happy with the service you’re receiving, the first step you should take is to contact your gas and/or electricity supplier and explain the problem.
You should be able to locate your supplier’s phone number and website address on your energy bill and your supplier’s website should also detail its complaints procedure.
You can choose to make your complaint in writing, email or by phone. If you’re writing or emailing, keep in mind you won’t get an immediate response, so if your complaint is urgent, it may be better to phone instead.
Before picking up the phone, check your supplier’s website to see whether you will be charged for using its helpline, or whether there’s a freephone number you can use.
How to complain?
It’s a good idea to have your customer reference number and an up-to-date meter reading to hand before you make your complaint. You should then clearly explain what the problem is and how you expect the issue to be resolved.
If you’re phoning your supplier, you should also have a pen and notepad ready to jot down details such as the date and time of the call, the person you spoke to and what was said. If the supplier cannot resolve the issue immediately, ask how long it will take to receive a response and whether you can make a note of a reference number for the complaint.
If you’re sending an email, always keep copies of any you send and receive, and if you are writing a letter, take a photo of it before posting. This will allow you to refer back to what was said if necessary. It can also be worth including copies of questionable bills or anything else that might help support your complaint.
Energy suppliers are required to deal proactively with complaints through strict complaints-handling standards and have eight weeks in which to respond and try to resolve the problem.
What if your complaint is not resolved?
If you are not satisfied with your supplier’s response and either eight weeks have passed since you first made the complaint or it reaches a point of ‘deadlock’, where the supplier says it can do no more, you may be able to go to the Ombudsman Services: Energy.
Your supplier should write to you at eight weeks or at deadlock to explain you how to do this.
The Ombudsman Services: Energy is a free independent scheme set up to investigate complaints from micro business consumers if they have not been resolved by a supplier. It can force the company to correct the issue, apologise, explain what happened, or even provide compensation.
Alternatively, if you need additional help or support during the complaints process you can also contact Citizens Advice. The service offers free and impartial advice and can inform you of the rights you have and the legal responsibilities of your energy supplier.
You can call the Citizens Advice helpline Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0808 223 1133.
Switch your energy supplier
If you’re not happy with the service you are receiving from your existing energy supplier, it could be worth switching to a new one. The drawback with business energy contracts, however, is that you’ll usually only be able to do this if your existing contract is coming to an end, so you may need to wait a while.
Your supplier will contact you when your contract enters its ‘renewal’ window – usually between one and six months before the end date – but if you’re feeling particularly frustrated, it’s worth phoning your supplier to check how long you have left before you can switch.
As soon as your contract reaches the renewal window, start comparing energy contracts to find a more competitive deal. Once you’ve found one, your new supplier should take care of the switching process and you should be moved over within four to six weeks.
Your gas and electricity will still be supplied through the same pipes and cables so there will be no digging or drilling at your workplace, inside or out, and there should be no disruption to your energy supply.
You can find out more about the switching process in our guide.
