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Complaints about energy companies have continued to rise, with 2015 numbers up 23 per cent on the previous year.
Annual figures published by the Ombudsman show the number of complaints in 2015 totalled 65,168 compared to 52,937 in 2014.
Billing issues continue to be the biggest problem experienced by consumers, accounting for 83 per cent of complaints received. Switching supplier or tariff accounts for 10 per cent of complaints.
Chief ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith said: “Energy complaints rose by nearly a quarter over the course of last year as customers continue to be more vocal about their discontent with suppliers.
“Towards the end of the year, we’ve seen some suppliers take some encouraging steps, particularly when it comes to improving their billing processes, but there’s still more that can be done.”
Quarterly figures suggests energy companies are starting to show signs of improvement, with complaints in the last three months of 2015 falling by 29 per cent to 10,896, compared to 15,370 in the same period in 2014.
In a response to the figures, Energy UK said: “Customer service is important for energy suppliers. Companies work hard to get things right and, when things do go wrong, most complaints are dealt with by the end of the next working day with no more than a phone call.
“Some suppliers have experienced significant system issues which have exacerbated customer complaints, however as the latest numbers show complaints are falling, reflecting the investment companies have been making to put customers first.”
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