useful information for constituents

Please click on one of the following topics to find out more.

utilities

As all the utilities - telephone, gas, electricity and water - are these days run by private companies, Daniel cannot compel them to deal with your complaint in a particular way. However, he can contact them on your behalf and is often able to reach someone who is in a good position to try to help you.

You should always try to resolve a complaint directly with the company in question. If you think you may have to take your complaint to a high level, you need to make sure you have made an official complaint to your supplier. There is a lot of legislation that controls the way that the private utility companies work, but you always need to have made an official complaint to the company, before an independent body can look at your complaint and try to resolve it.

(a) TELEPHONE, MOBILE AND INTERNET

the ombudsman

If you have complained officially to a telephone company and received a response you are unhappy with (a 'deadlock letter'), or if 12 weeks have passed since you complained, then you can take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

Otelo (Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman) deals with consumer complaints for public communication providers that are members, including BT. Otelo provides a free and independent service to sort out disagreements between public communication providers and their customers. They investigate complaints fairly by listening to both sides of the story and looking at the facts.

A complaint can only be raised with the Ombudsman once a deadlock letter has been received from the company and has to be raised within 6 months of the deadlock letter, or 9 months of making a complaint if no response has been received. The Ombudsman can only deal with complaints made about their members, which include almost all landline providers, over half mobile phone providers and about one third of internet service providers.

You can find out more about the Ombudsman at www.otelo.org.uk or by calling 0330 440 1614.

the regulator

Ofcom is the regulator for the telecommunications industry. It does not deal with individual disputes and complaints, but does provide a lot of useful information at its website www.ofcom.org.uk.

broadband availability

Unfortunately, BT is not under any legal obligation to provide Broadband, although it must supply landline coverage for the whole country. Daniel is not, therefore, able to insist that BT provides Broadband to a particular building or area, although he can draw the attention of BT to problem areas and find out what they may be doing to remedy the situation.

mobile coverage

The telecommunications companies are not under any obligation to provide mobile coverage in any particular area, so Daniel is not able to insist that they do so. Ofcom's website at www.ofcom.org.uk provides a useful guide to the mobile coverage available from the different mobile service providers.

(b) ELECTRICITY AND GAS

consumer direct

Practical help is available from the agency Consumer Direct at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk or call an advisor on 08454 040506. Consumer Direct provide telephone and online advice to consumers and there is a section specifically about energy supply.

consumer focus

Help and advice is also available for energy consumers from Consumer Focus. Their website is at www.consumerfocus.org.uk. In particular, Consumer Focus has a duty to help people who have been, or who are threatened with, disconnection, as well as people who are viewed as 'vulnerable'.

the ombudsman

If you have complained officially to an energy company and received a response you are unhappy with (a 'deadlock letter'), or if 8 weeks have passed since you complained, then you can take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

The Energy Ombudsman deals with consumer complaints for energy suppliers that are members. The Ombudsman is the person who decides what action should be taken when a consumer and an energy company cannot come to agreement. The Ombudsman makes a final decision as a resolution to the problem based on a provisional conclusion prepared by an investigation officer.

A complaint can only be raised with the Ombudsman once a deadlock letter has been received from the company and has to be raised within 6 months of the deadlock letter, or 9 months of making a complaint if no response has been received. The Ombudsman can only deal with complaints made about their members.

You can find out more about the Ombudsman at www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk or by calling 0330 440 1624.

the regulator

Ofgem is the regulator for the electricity and gas industries. It does not deal with individual disputes and complaints, but does provide information at its website www.ofgem.gov.uk.

(c) WATER AND SEWERAGE

the consumer council for water

Advice in dealing with problems with water and sewerage companies can be obtained from the Consumer Council for Water. They will take up your complaint if you have tried and failed to resolve it directly with the water company. They prefer to receive complaints in writing, by post or using the online form at their website, but you can call them on 0845 702 3953. The website is at www.ccwater.org.uk.

the regulator

Ofwat is the regulator for the water and sewerage industry. It deals with some individual disputes and complaints and more details are available from its website www.ofwat.gov.uk or by telephone on 0121 625 1300.

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