Introduction

From time to time you may experience difficulty with your bill, your connection to the electricity or natural gas network or some other issue relating to your natural gas or electricity supply.  If you are unable to resolve your problem following completion of your supplier or network operators complaints process, the Commission offers an independent complaint resolution service.
   

Our Role 

Disputes Over Connections

Industry Complaints Handling Procedures

Other Complaints

I have a Complaint - Who do I contact?

How do I register my Complaint?

The Commission's Complaints Handling Procedure 

Our Role

The Commission has a statutory responsibility to provide a complaints resolution service to customers with an unresolved dispute with their supplier or network operator.  Following investigation the Commission has the power to direct suppliers and network operators to award compenstation or to resolve the complaint in a set fashion if the complaint is upheld. 

The Energy Customers Team has been setup within the Commission to deal directly with customers who have complaints.

Disputes Over Connections

If you have been refused a connection to the electricity or gas network and you are unsatisfied with the reason given for the refusal, you can refer this dispute to the Commission for determination. Before the Commission can help however, all reasonable efforts must be made to resolve the dispute with ESB Networks /Bord Gáis Networks directly.

Industry Complaints Handling Procedures

The Commission requires all suppliers and network operators who deal with customers to have an internal complaints handling process.  This must provide customers with a simple, speedy and efficient complaint resolution process. The process should include timetables for resolution of problems and an escalation procedure should a customer not be happy with the company’s initial response to their complaint. This procedure must be published and customers are entitled to receive a copy of this procedure on request.  The process must also be publicised.

Other Complaints

If you have a complaint about your energy supply, billing or metering and you have been unable to resolve this with your supplier of natural gas or electricity or your network operator you can complain to the Commission.

I have a Complaint - Who do I contact?

Depending on the nature of your complaint your first point of contact should be your supplier or network operator. Your bill should have contact details on it.

Your network operator: ESB Networks or Bord Gáis Networks will deal with queries such as:

• Faulty meters
• Connection costs
• Emergencies
• Planned Outages
• Delays in getting connected

Your supplier [Electricity | Gas] will deal with queries regarding:

• Changing supplier
• Closing your account –including when moving house
• Costs included on your bill

How do I register my Complaint?

By Phone:

1. Before calling your supplier or network operator, gather all relevant documentation e.g. your bill, your account details and any correspondence with the supplier or network operator.
2. Have an idea of what outcome you want and how you want to put forward your argument.
3. Make notes of your conversation including details of the name and title of the person you spoke to, the date of the call and any commitments or agreements that person makes including promises to call you back.
4. Ask for a complaint reference number.

Tips:

• Always take the name and department of the person you have spoken to and note the time and date.
• Try to remain calm when putting your case forward.
• When you are making your call allow sufficient time as your call make take longer than you expect. Also leave time to write up notes at the end of the call so you remember all that is said.
• If you receive verbal commitment to a resolution ask for the decision to be sent to you in writing.
• If you receive a promise of a return call, make sure you have a firm timeframe for the call.

By letter or email:

1. Make sure you address your correspondence to the appropriate person. If you do not know who this is call to find out.
2. Explain the issue in as much detail as necessary. Use facts that you have and enclose copies of any supporting documentation you may have.
3. Explain what you see as the resolution to the issue.
4. Make sure to include your account reference number and your address to allow a response.

Tips:

• Always keep a copy of correspondence you send or receive.
• Do not send originals of related documents. Send a copy and retain the original.
• If you do not receive a response to your correspondence phone to follow up.

If you are not satisfied with the initial response you receive to your complaint you should escalate the issue to a higher level of management by sending an official complaint in writing to your provider.  Once you have completed the full process, if you are still not satisfied you may refer your complaint to the Commission's independent complaints when you do this you will require your supplier or network operators complaint reference number.

The Commission's Complaints Handling Procedure

When you refer a complaint to us we will investigate it further with your supplier or network operator once we have confirmed that the internal complaints process has been completed.

1. When you contact us regarding a complaint, the first step in our process is to confirm that your complaint has completed your supplier or network operator's complaints process.  Once this is confirmed we will issue you with a unique reference which we will quote on all correspondence.  If you have not completed your supplier or network operator's process we will refer you back to complete the process.
2. If we receive your complaint by email or letter we will acknowledge your correspondence within 2 working days of receipt.
3. If you make your complaint by telephone we will send you out a complaint form to fill in and return before we log progress complaint.  A copy of the form can be found here:  Complaint Form.doc
4. Please include the reason why you believe your complaint has not been dealt with and attach any relevant correspondence.
5. If we do not have sufficient details of your complaint we may contact you for further information before completing our investigation. This is to ensure we have a complete record of your complaint.
6. Once we have established the nature of your complaint and received your supporting documentation, we will forward your complaint to your supplier or network operator and ask them to respond to the issues you have raised.  
7. Following receipt of a response we may contact you again for further information based on the response received.   
8. Once we have established both sides of the dispute/ complaint we will consider all information received an issue a decision in relation to your complaint. 
9. Decisions will be issued in writing or by email in order for a formal record to be kept.  

Contact Details

Please use a copy of our complaint form to submit your complaint. Complaint Form.doc

Energy Customers Team
Commission for Energy Regulation
The Exchange
Belgard Square North
Tallaght
Dublin 24

energycustomers@cer.ie

1890 404 404