Citizens Advice response to Ofgem’s implementation of the CMA’s Whole of Market recommendation

Energy

22 June 2018

Response to Ofgem’s consultation on the implementation of the CMA’sWhole of Market recommendation 234 KB

As​ ​the​ ​lines​ ​between​ ​markets​ ​are​ ​becoming​ ​increasingly​ ​blurred,​ ​with​ ​new models​ ​being​ ​data​ ​or​ communication​ ​driven​ ​and​ ​bundled​ ​products​ ​on​ ​offer,​ ​it​ ​is essential​ ​that there is​ joined​ ​up​ ​and​ ​coherent​ ​regulation​ ​across​ ​markets.​ ​

Citizens​ ​Advice​ ​has​ ​been​ ​concerned​ ​for​ ​some​ ​time​ ​about​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​protections for​ ​energy​ ​consumers​ ​who​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​TPIs.​ ​As​ ​we​ ​start​ ​to​ ​see​ ​other​ ​types​ ​of​ TPIs​ ​enter​ ​the​ ​market,​ ​and​ ​more domestic​ ​consumers​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​their​ services,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​an​ ​urgent need​ ​for​ ​regulation. Consumers​ ​should​ ​be​ ​entitled​ ​to​ the​ ​same​ ​level​ ​of​ ​protections​ ​no​ ​matter what​ ​route​ ​they​ ​take​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​the​ market. At present ​there​ ​are​ ​​gaps​ ​in​ ​protection​ ​for​ ​consumers​ ​who​ ​use​ ​TPIs, with this​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​as​ ​new​ ​business​ ​models​ ​are​ ​launched.

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