Complaints decreasing as suppliers improve customer service

The latest Ombudsman Services figures have revealed that the number of complaints has steadily decreased since March as energy suppliers improve their customer service.

Although complaints for the first half of 2015 are still up 55 per cent on the same period last year at 35,309, the number of complaints has fallen to 15,853 during Q2 from 19,456 in Q1.

In June complaint numbers dipped beneath 5,000 for the first time since December 2014.

Of the complaints received in Q2 billing received 85 per cent of the complaints, while transfers accounted for ten per cent.

Ombudsman Serives’ chief ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith said: “The steady decrease in the volume of complaints over the last three months is encouraging for the energy industry as it indicates that providers are starting to improve their service and complaints handling, although it’s too early to say whether this is a trend.”

Scottish Power, who significantly contributed to the jump in complaints at the end of 2014 and begining of 2015, said last week that it had improved its customer service in recent months and lowered the number of complaints it has been receiving in Q2.

Shand Smith said: “There are, however, still too many people who are choosing to suffer in silence, because they believe the complaints process is too much hassle, too costly, or will take up too much of their time. This is especially worrying in light of the well-documented recent energy problems experienced by consumers with Npower and Scottish Power.”

Ombudsman Services’ consumer action report found that across all sectors, 71 million problems were not acted upon at all. In addition, 43 per cent believe complaining is ‘not worth the hassle’.

Last month Ofgem secured free energy for 1,000 Npower customers after the supplier failed to resolve their ombudsman complaints in the allotted time period.