UK's Ofgem Says Intervening to Improve How Energy Suppliers Handle Complaints

   By Carlo Martuscelli

The U.K.'s energy regulator said it has taken action over the way a number of energy suppliers handle complaints.

Ofgem said Thursday that it opened compliance cases with First Utility Ltd., Ovo Energy and Utilita over their poor handling of customer complaints after carrying out a survey on how suppliers deal with customer grievances. It is also expanding an already existing case with ScottishPower.

The regulator said it is requiring all the other domestic energy suppliers included in the survey to submit plans detailing how they will improve their complaint-handling procedures. Among the suppliers are SSE PLC (SSE.LN), E.ON SE (EOAN.XE), British Gas, Npower, Utility Warehouse, EDF Energy and Co-operative Energy.

The survey found that while customer satisfaction rates improved since the last poll in 2016, overall, more customers are dissatisfied than satisfied over how their complaints were handled.

"The main contributors to high levels of dissatisfaction were the length of time taken to resolve the issue, not being kept up to date with the progress of the complaint and suppliers not providing complainants with a clear view of how long the resolution will take," Ofgem said.

Write to Carlo Martuscelli at carlo.martuscelli@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 27, 2018 02:41 ET (06:41 GMT)

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