The dramatic spike in the cost of domestic gas and other energy as well as poor levels of customer care saw the number of complaints made to the energy watchdog almost doubling over the course of 2022, according to a new report.
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said complaints about energy-companies jumped by 93 per cent in 2022 with billing and account issues driving most contacts.
The watchdog’s annual customer care report highlights a total of 12,373 contacts from energy and water customers, an increase of 87 per cent on the previous year, with 43 per cent of complaints investigated upheld in favour of the customer, up from 32 per cent in 2021.
The average complaint resolution time in 2022 was 112 days, a significant jump from the 67 days recorded in 2021.
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In one case study highlighted in the report, an unidentified company debited €2,274 from a customer’s bank account without prior authorisation. The supplier alleged that the money was owed on a “legacy energy account the customer held with the supplier over years previously”.
The customer contacted the CRU and said it had taken “37 days of constant telephone calls before the supplier reacted and logged a formal complaint regarding the matter. The customer also advised that it took 116 days to have the €2,274 returned to his bank account. Throughout the course of his complaint, the customer felt his numerous calls on the various issues raised were continually ignored,” the CRU report says.
For its many customer service failures, the CRU directed the supplier award the customer compensation of €600.
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The report noted that the share of customer contacts for each of the seven largest suppliers was broadly in line with their market share, with the exception of Electric Ireland, which accounted for 35 per cent of contacts, 10 percentage points lower than its combined market share of 45 per cent.
The suppliers whose level of customer contact levels exceeded their market share included Bord Gáis Energy, Flogas and Pinergy.
Three energy suppliers – Bright Energy, Iberdrola and Panda Power – exited the retail energy market in 2022 with their departure seeing customers contacting the CRU seeking information on next steps or querying if they would receive refunds from the supplier to their accounts.
The CRU acknowledged that providers had been experiencing increased numbers of contacts and complaints. It said it was “important that all providers aim to resolve customer complaints promptly and fully before matters are escalated to the CRU”.
The CRU received 367 customer contacts in relation to Uisce Éireann in 2022, a similar level as in 2021 (374 contacts). It upheld 71 per cent of the 17 Uisce Éireann complaints investigated in 2022 in favour of the customer.
Customers continued to report that Uisce Éireann failed to respond to their queries in a timely manner with some expressing dissatisfaction with Uisce Éireann’s complaints process. Issues raised including customers not being kept updated in terms of the status of their complaint and Uisce Éireann not escalating or responding to customer complaints in a timely way.
The significant increase in contacts from energy and water customers to the CRU’s customer care team was driven by “some unprecedented events in the global energy markets”, said its director of customer policy and protection Karen Trant. “The CRU would advise all customers to remain informed when it comes to their rights. Switching suppliers or renegotiating with your current supplier can still deliver savings and it is important that customers ensure they are on the best tariff for their needs.”
