Energy firms probed over complaints

ENERGY regulator Ofgem has ordered 11 of the UK’s biggest suppliers to get better at dealing with complaints after more than half of customers criticised the way theirs had been handled.

British Gas, Npower, SSE and EDF are among those asked to present better plans to Ofgem.

The regulator has also started working with First Utility, Ovo Energy and Utilita to improve their handling of complaints – with the prospect of tougher action if things do not improve – and is widening its work with Scottish Power. It follows a survey of more than 3,000 people who had complained to their energy provider.

Ofgem found that 57pc of complainants were dissatisfied with the results, with only 32pc satisfied.

Customers said complaints took too long to resolve and they were not kept up to date about progress on their case.

Ofgem chief executive Dermot Nolan said: ‘Although the level of satisfaction about complaint handling has increased over the past two years, it is still unacceptably low. Some suppliers need to be doing considerably more to get the basics right and provide a service their customers deserve.’

Ofgem said complaints received by all suppliers per 100,000 accounts had almost halved over the past four years.

Since August, energy suppliers have had to submit information on complaints they receive to Ofgem. It is keeping a particularly close eye on how they deal with these in view of the incoming price cap on certain tariffs.