The government has proposed that more small businesses could gain access to specialist support for disputes with their energy supplier.
The proposals, currently under consultation until 31 January 2024, would allow businesses with up to 50 employees to qualify for support from the Energy Ombudsman on issues such as disputes over bills and energy supply, to how an energy product or service has been sold, or wider customer service issues.
Currently, this support is only available to businesses of up to 10 employees, and households.
It is hoped that these changes would enable companies of this size to settle disputes with their energy supplier without facing costly court fees.
The proposals follow a survey conducted by regulator Ofgem, which found that 94% of the total respondents, which included businesses organisations, consumer groups, and suppliers, said they would welcome this move.
Commenting on the proposals, Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said: “This government has always stood by businesses, and we want to ensure they are getting proper support and service in dealing with energy suppliers.
“That’s why we’re proposing expanding the reach of the Energy Ombudsman to cover an extra 200,000 businesses, allowing them to access free, impartial advice and resolve issues with their supplier without the need for an expensive trip to court.”
More information on the consultation can be found here.
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman praised the progress made. “We welcome the announcement to expand the Energy Ombudsman’s support to businesses with up to fifty employees – something that we have long advocated for as part of the reforms to the energy market. The energy market can be extremely difficult for convenience retailers to navigate, particularly when there are issues with billing and supply and the introduction of this support will be positively received by local shops as it will enable retailers to resolve energy disputes efficiently and affordably.”
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