What to expect

We can tell suppliers to:

• Take practical action (E.g. credit or cancel an account, change your tarriff)
• Make an apology
• Offer a financial award
• Make recommendations to prevent this happening again
• A combination of these actions

However, we can’t:

• Punish companies
• Dictate how companies operate
• Issue fines

Our financial awards are based on the cost of putting things right, such as ensuring you've been charged accurately, clearing unfair charges or fixing faults. The level of maximum financial award may vary depending on the type of energy company and the Terms of Reference that cover that scheme.

• Energy Suppliers - up to £10,000 for domestic energy disputes or up to £20,000 for small business disputes
• Heat Networks - up to £10,000 for domestic energy disputes or up to £20,000 for small business disputes
• Energy Networks - up to £10,000 for domestic energy disputes or up to £20,000 for small business disputes
• Energy brokers - up to £10,000
• Flexibility service providers - up to £10,000 for domestic energy disputes or up to £20,000 for micro business consumers only

This can vary based on the complexity of your case, but on average most of our disputes are resolved within 6 weeks of us receiving evidence from both parties.

In most instances we are able to help consumers, but occasionally we are prevented from investigating disputes...

• If the consumer hasn't given the supplier 8 weeks to resolve the dispute since the date they first expressed their dissatisfaction or, hasn't received a Deadlock Letter allowing them to approach us prior to 8 weeks.
• If the consumer has already agreed with the supplier that the matter has been resolved and has accepted an offer of resolution.
• If the consumer has asked a court to consider the issue.
• If the consumer didn’t bring their dispute to us within 12 months of receiving a deadlock letter.
• If the consumer has never been a consumer of the supplier, or is complaining about something not covered by the scheme. We deal with gas and electricity supply disputes; some suppliers offer ancillary services not covered.
• We consider it to be frivolous or vexatious.
• If it has been considered by another ADR scheme.
• If dealing with the complaint, or a complaint of its type, would seriously impair the operation of The Energy Ombudsman.