A Word of Advice

7 September 2001

Electricity Complaints Commissioner Switched On

More changes to the electricity industry are in the pipeline. "Just what I need," we hear you say. Well, in fact, these changes might just be what you need, because soon you'll have somewhere to go if you can't resolve a problem with your power company.

For months consumers have been making complaints to the Ministers of Consumer Affairs and Energy that they've been treated unfairly by their power company, but have not had the power to do anything about it. Well, now they do.

By December this year a new Electricity Complaints Commissioner will be operating. Under the scheme, you'll be able to complain to the Commissioner if you can't resolve a dispute with your company over things like billing and disconnection. It will be free, and you'll be treated fairly because the scheme is independent from the industry.

So, how does it all work? Under the Electricity Complaints Commissioner scheme, electricity companies will sign up to a Code of Practice which sets out standards that they must meet - that is, sets out what you can expect from your power company. For example, what processes they should have in place to handle customer complaints, how they must tell you about changes to their terms and conditions, what information should be on your bill and in what form, when and how they can disconnect customers.

If a company doesn't do what the code requires them to, and treats you unfairly, the Electricity Complaints Commissioner can award you compensation.

The Electricity Complaints Commissioner will only be able to hear complaints about problems relating to the Code of Practice (information about the types of complaints you can take to the Commissioner will be available when the Commissioner starts in December). So don't expect the Electricity Complaints Commissioner to be a remedy for all the problems in the electricity industry. But it will give you a voice and assistance in resolving many problems, as well as encouraging power companies to sharpen up their communication with their customers.

Closer to December the Ministry of Consumer Affairs will provide more information about what specific types of complaints you can take to the Commissioner and how to make a complaint.