Page last updated on 6th February 2025
How to complain to your energy supplier
If you have a problem with your
energy supply or you are unhappy
with how your energy supplier has
treated you, you have the right to
complain.
The right to complain means the
law says you are allowed to say if
you are unhappy with your energy
supplier.
The law means the official rules for a country that protect the people who live there.
There is a process when you complain to your energy supplier.
A process is a series of actions you follow to make something happen
We tell you about each part of the process in the next parts of this webpage.
1. Contact your energy supplier
If you have a problem with your energy supply, contact your energy supplier straight away.
It is their job to try and fix the problem or give you advice about what to do.
You can find contact information for your energy supplier on their website or on your gas and electricity bills.
When you contact your energy supplier, tell them:
● your account number
● the case reference number, if you have one
A case reference number is a number given to something, like a complaint, to make it easy to find and see everything that has happened.
If you speak to your energy supplier, keep a record of what you talk about.
Keep a record means write down or keep information about something so you can check the details later.
Keep a record of:
● the dates and times you speak to your energy supplier
● the names of the people you speak to
● what you talk about
2. Complain to your energy supplier
If you contact your energy supplier about a problem and you are not happy with how they deal with it, you can complain.
Each energy supplier has a complaints process.
A process is a series of actions you follow to make something happen.
If you want to find out about your energy supplier’s complaints process, go to their website or call them and ask them to tell you about it over the phone.
When you complain, tell your energy supplier:
● what you want to complain about
● when the problem happened
● what you want to happen
Keep a record of:
● the first date you contact your energy supplier to complain
● letters, emails and phone calls about your complaint
Keep a record means write down or keep information about something so you can check the details later.
Energy suppliers must try to fix complaints in less than 8 weeks.
They should send you a letter called a decision letter or a letter of deadlock.
A letter of deadlock means your energy supplier has decided there is nothing else they can do about your complaint.
They also have a template letter you can use when you complain to your energy supplier.
A template is an example version you can use as a helpful guide.
3. Complain about your energy supplier to the Energy Ombudsman
If you complain to your energy supplier and you are not happy with the service you get, you might be able to complain about your energy supplier to the Energy Ombudsman.
The Energy Ombudsman is a free, independent service that tries to sort problems between people and energy suppliers.
Independent means they are not connected to energy suppliers. They look at both sides of complaints and try to make fair decisions.
You can complain to the Energy Ombudsman if you:
● do not agree with a decision in a letter of deadlock
● did not get a decision letter or a letter of deadlock in less than 8 weeks
A letter of deadlock means your energy supplier has decided there is nothing else they can do about your complaint.
The Energy Ombudsman can:
● tell your energy supplier to look at your complaint again
● look at your complaint and say if they think the decision about it is right
● make your energy supplier give you a decision about your complaint
The Energy Ombudsman can also tell your energy supplier to pay you financial compensation if they think that is right.
Financial compensation is money paid to you to show something bad or wrong happened.
If you want to contact the Energy Ombudsman, try to do it as soon as you can.
You must do it in less than 12 months from when you get a decision letter or a letter of deadlock from your energy supplier.
4. Support with your complaint
If you want support about how to complain to your energy supplier, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline can help.
If you live in Scotland, you can get advice and information about energy and energy suppliers from Energy Advice Scotland.