Extra Energy has worst complaints handling score for third quarter in a row
Citizens Advice publishes latest energy complaints league table
Extra Energy has come bottom of Citizens Advice’s latest energy complaints league table for the third consecutive quarter - with customers continuing to report billing problems.
The firm has ranked lowest in the table - which measures how well energy suppliers are handling customer complaints - since the start of 2016. However Extra Energy has improved on its score from last quarter with a complaints ratio of 1505.7 per 100,000 customers, compared to 1791.2.
Scottish Power and npower continue to improve their performances and move up the rankings. Both firms were previously fined by Ofgem for customer service failings caused by the introduction of new billing systems. People were hit with backdated or inaccurate bills and also struggled to get through on the phone to resolve their problems.
Billing problems were a key issue Extra Energy customers reported to Citizens Advice - including cases where people didn’t get a bill for over a year. Extra Energy customers also had problems switching to another supplier - with delays getting final bills and problems with money being taken out after accounts had been shut down.
Citizens Advice’s latest complaints table of the 22 largest energy firms in Great Britain, for July to September 2016, shows:
Both npower and Scottish Power continue to improve - with both suppliers’ complaints ratios dropping by around a third on last quarter.
Newcomer Places for People Energy replaces SSE at the top of the table with a record score of 19.0 complaints per 100,000 customers.
iSupply’s complaints ratio has more than doubled to 818.5 per 100,000 customers - with the firm dropping to second from bottom in the table.
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
“People’s time and money is being wasted trying to get energy firms to sort out complaints.
“All energy suppliers should be delivering a first rate service as standard and resolving their customers’ problems quickly instead of letting them drag on.
“It’s good to see that some energy firms are starting to get to grips with billing issues that have been causing such a headache for their customers. It’s crucial that all suppliers act fast to clear up these problems sooner rather than later.”
Citizens Advice publishes the quarterly results to show customers how well energy suppliers are dealing with complaints. Suppliers’ scores are calculated based on the seriousness of the complaint against them and how long it took to resolve. Firms with lower complaints ratios are better at resolving complaints than those with high scores.
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016 | Supplier | Complaints ratio July - September 2016 | Complaints ratio April- June 2016 |
---|---|---|---|
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
1 |
Supplier
Places for People |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
19.0 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
N/A |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
2 |
Supplier
E (Gas and Electricity) |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
27.0 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
35.8 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
3 |
Supplier
SSE |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
27.2 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
22.5 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
4 |
Supplier
EDF Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
32.1 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
30.5 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
5 |
Supplier
British Gas |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
79.0 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
79.5 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
6 |
Supplier
E.ON |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
83.4 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
85.8 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
7 |
Supplier
Ovo Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
90.3 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
91.7 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
8 |
Supplier
Utilita |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
112.9 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
95.6 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
9 |
Supplier
Flow Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
120.4 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
132.9 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
10 |
Supplier
Utility Warehouse |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
133.2 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
108.5 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
11 |
Supplier
Ecotricity |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
164.5 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
176.7 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
12 |
Supplier
Good Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
176.6 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
153.2 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
13 |
Supplier
GB Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
198.5 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
125.4 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
14 |
Supplier
First Utility |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
228.6 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
281.0 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
15 |
Supplier
npower |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
266.9 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
383.4 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
16 |
Supplier
Economy Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
420.4 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
178.3 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
17 |
Supplier
Spark Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
438.6 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
371.9 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
18 |
Supplier
Scottish Power |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
446.3 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
571.5 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
19 |
Supplier
Green Star Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
459.9 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
265.0 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
20 |
Supplier
Co-Operative Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
679.1 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
850.3 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
21 |
Supplier
iSupply |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
818.5 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
347.2 |
Ranking for quarter July- September 2016
22 |
Supplier
Extra Energy |
Complaints ratio July - September 2016
1505.7 |
Complaints ratio April- June 2016
1791.2 |
Notes to editors
The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local Citizens Advice, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website .
The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
To get advice online or find your local Citizens Advice in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk
You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers.
Local Citizens Advice in England and Wales advised 2.5 million clients on 6.2 million problems in 2014/15. For full service statistics see our publication Advice trends .
Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 2,500 service outlets across England and Wales.