A Word of Advice

1 March 2002

Help With Your Electricity Complaints

You get sent a power bill that you think is incorrect – who’re you gonna call? Ghostbusters won’t be of much use, but the new Electricity Complaints Commissioner might be.

Set up late last year, the Commission is a one-stop-shop for dealing with problems you may have with your electricity lines or retail companies. The Commission can’t give you cheaper power prices, but it can give you independent advice and help resolve disputes over line disconnection, incorrect billing, or difficulties that may arise when switching electricity companies. It can only investigate complaints that have occurred since 1 October 2001, and can’t address objections to the price of electricity or services.

A Code of Practice has been developed that electricity lines and retail companies are encouraged to sign. This code outlines some minimum standards the companies are required to adhere to, providing more protection for you, the consumer. The code of ‘good behaviour’ includes the way in which consumer complaints are to be handled, and the requirement that electricity is disconnected only as a last resort.

So far about 75% of electricity consumers are covered by the code and more companies are expected to join it. Under the code the Electricity Complaints Commissioner is able to award compensation of up to $10,000 against an electricity company if a customer has been treated unfairly.

The Commission is completely independent of the electricity industry and its service is free to consumers. The Commissioner’s office has been active since January this year and has already resolved 100 complaints informally. Electricity Complaints Commissioner Judi Jones says sometimes consumers get stuck dealing with a company’s call centre. The Commission is able to go to a higher level within an electricity company to sort out a problem relatively quickly.

How do you make a complaint?

1. If you have a problem with your electricity retail or lines company you need to make a formal complaint with them first, by phoning or writing to them. You must give them the opportunity to solve the problem.

2. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of working through your company’s complaints procedure, you can contact the Electricity Complaints Commissioner.

To contact the Commissioner

Email: info@electricitycomplaints.co.nz
Freephone: 0800 22 33 40
Write to: PO Box 6144 Marion Square, Wellington