Complaining to Energy Ombudsman: Is it worth it?

snowcat53

Does the Ombudsman have any power to refer a matter to Ofgem etc or direct a company to change its policy? I refer to the well documented systematic failure to abide by SLC 27.14. I wrote to Consumer Direct who replied saying once I have a deadlock letter they can refer to the Ombudsman. However it not compensation I am after but a resolution of the underlying problem. Ofgem refused to touch it earlier.

backfoot

snowcat53 wrote: »

Does the Ombudsman have any power to refer a matter to Ofgem etc or direct a company to change its policy? I refer to the well documented systematic failure to abide by SLC 27.14. I wrote to Consumer Direct who replied saying once I have a deadlock letter they can refer to the Ombudsman. However it not compensation I am after but a resolution of the underlying problem. Ofgem refused to touch it earlier.

I don't know specifically but it would be totally remiss of the Regulator Ofgem not to look at the work and outputs of the Energy Ombudsman.

After you win the case you could also send your own notification to Ofgem alerting them to the facts, if you feel there are wider policy implications.

Can I thank Cingo for the excellent post above yours.

keiran

cing0,

Well done getting a positive result from the Energy Ombudsman, and thanks for outlining how you presented your case.

It does seem like a lot of work to do if one is in the right in any case!

You haven't indicated what compensation you did receive, though. This would be helpful in deciding if I wanted to spend the time and hassle on this mind-numbing task, stating the bleeding obvious to the Ombudsman who, as far as I'm concerned, is in bed with the energy companies, who in turn know they will be looked after - a bit like prostitutes and their pimp

chanz4

Not all history does transfer between suppliers, infact the only thing that does is the opening read, meter details. What everyone has to remember is that a deadlock is there to say we have reached the end of the road we have nothing more to say. Inregards to dd's all suppliers migrating to sap will update bills and alter direct debits after every bill, our friends at ofgem have seen into this by asking for acurate bills and direct debits. Every complaint that goes to the energy ombudsman does cost money, and so as share holders are there to seek profits does in turn put energy costs up. I really dont see any compensation level really making a company blink, if you dont like it change suppliers.

chanz4

snowcat53 wrote: »

Does the Ombudsman have any power to refer a matter to Ofgem etc or direct a company to change its policy? I refer to the well documented systematic failure to abide by SLC 27.14. I wrote to Consumer Direct who replied saying once I have a deadlock letter they can refer to the Ombudsman. However it not compensation I am after but a resolution of the underlying problem. Ofgem refused to touch it earlier.

They do, however it would have to be major for them to bother. its paid for from a pot that the whole industry pays into

backfoot

chanz4 wrote: »

They do, however it would have to be major for them to bother. its paid for from a pot that the whole industry pays into

Fortunately Snowcat's complaint concerns Licence Conditions so it is pretty major.

jalexa

chanz4 wrote: »

Not all history does transfer between suppliers, infact the only thing that does is the opening read, meter details.

Not sure if you are making a general or a specific point but, based on discussion with my current supplier (Edf), I *believe* subsequent to the transfer they obtained from a national metering registry (pls provide the likely actual name) actual previous consumption.

So regardless of the "how and when" the end result is the "transfer of history". And there are two serious points I would like to make. Firstly I was not aware that the number now being used as a future consumption assumption in calculations was not the number I compared and switched on and secondly it is not reflective of specific energy efficiency measures I have adopted. Or the weather.

As a matter of "strong suspicion", (unfortunately I'm not privy to "fact") regular customer reads do not appear to much change the "assumption", though regulations require the use of the most recent information. Edf will have big egg on their face come my April review date.

Is it an "EO issue"? Well I'm keeping my powder dry for a more focussed contravention of Licence Conditions.

chanz4

I have a relation that works for one, I also provide support for a DNO

backfoot

chanz4 wrote: »

I have a relation that works for one, I also provide support for a DNO

Sorry, you have lost me.Works for one what? Relevance ?

chanz4

a major supplier, DNO is the local distiribution for electric