npower fined £2m over complaint-handling

Energy firm regulator Ofgem has slapped a £2 million fine on Big Six producer npower for failing to adequately deal with complaints it received back in 2008. The regulator says […]

Energy firm regulator Ofgem has slapped a £2 million fine on Big Six producer npower for failing to adequately deal with complaints it received back in 2008. The regulator says npower has sufficiently addressed and remedied all the breaches of the regulations identified.

Last year Ofgem found that npower had failed to record all the details of its complaints and not given their customers sufficient help in directing them with problems they couldn’t resolve. Back in July Ofgem fined British Gas £2.5m for similar breaches.

Sarah Harrison, Ofgem’s Senior Partner for Sustainable Development, said suppliers should use the opportunity for good: “Energy suppliers now have a golden opportunity to convince consumers that they can be trusted, by getting behind Ofgem’s sweeping reforms for the retail market. This is the quickest way of restoring consumer trust in an industry badly tarnished by poor supplier behaviour.”

An npower spokesman told ELN: “A small number of processes were not correctly adhered to. Ofgem is now satisfied that all problems have been rectified and we are fully compliant with our obligations to our customers. We have zero tolerance for this type of issue and we’ll continue to work hard to make sure our customers are put first.”
Ofgem is currently also investigating the way in which EDF Energy handles complaints.

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