Regulating Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs) in the retail energy market: Citizens Advice consultation response
Citizens Advice has been calling for more regulatory oversight of the Third Party Intermediary (TPI) sector for over a decade. We are keenly aware that TPIs already play a vital role in the energy retail market, and that they will become increasingly important in helping consumers to access the market as we move towards Net Zero. However, we are concerned that a General Authorisation (GA) Scheme may not have a significant impact on current problems arising in the TPI sector. Citizens Advice believes that a Specific Authorisation (SA) Scheme will be the best framework through which to authorise Third Party Intermediaries. While the details of a SA Scheme will need to be worked out in consultation with the sector, this response summarises key aspects of a regulatory framework that will be successful at addressing the concerns outlined by DESNZ in their consultation.