Martin Lewis has offered up some advice to people who need to complain about their energy issues, and claims that people shouldn’t only try to get a formal complaint into the energy ombudsman because it takes too long. You can hear his advice below.
Obviously, if you have a real complaint you should always try to get in touch with the ombudsman as well, because that is how things actually get changed and recognised, but his advice suggested that if you have a properly pressing issue you should make a formal complaint to your energy company in the hope it will be sorted quicker.
Speaking in his usual role on Good Morning Britain, MoneySavingExpert's Lewis provided some guidance to a viewer on a pre-payment energy meter that is topped up with a card or a key.
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Now, those people are supposed to be receiving vouchers from their energy companies that entitle them to £66 per month to help people deal with soaring energy costs this winter.
With things set to turn colder in the coming days and weeks, that support is likely to be tested to the limit.
Addressing the viewer, Lewis said: “Look, it shouldn't be happening.
“This is the lifeline.
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“First thing, check, they've got the right contact details, they've got the right phone number, the right email address, the right postal address, because if they don't, they're sending it to the wrong place.
“You need to go and check that your information is up to date.
“If that information is up to date - and just in case they emailed - check the spam box on your email to check that you don't have an email from them sitting in there.
“Be very careful that they're not scams - you should not be clicking a link, these should be information pieces about how to claim.”
He continued: “If you still haven't got it, you need to make a formal complaint [to] the company.
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“The problem I have saying that is I always feel frustration in giving that information because so many people are also telling me ‘I can't get through and they're not responding’.
“You need to make this a formal complaint.
“If your formal complaint isn't resolved, you could take it to the energy ombudsman.”
Co-host Susanna Reid then said: “The Work and Pensions Secretary on this programme said go to the ombudsman.”
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Lewis explained: “Yeah, but the ombudsman takes too long.
“I mean, you won't get to the you won't get response from the ombudsman for weeks and weeks. We need this to be taken out.”
The MoneySavingExpert founder then said that he’ll be ‘making representations’ for those in need this winter to someone senior at British Gas in the coming days, adding: “Everybody who pays an electricity bill is entitled to the £66 a month.
“If you’re on - what we're talking about here is the key and card metres not smart prepayment meters – key and card meters - you should be getting a voucher.
“If you haven't had your voucher for October and November, that is a problem.
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“Make sure that you've got the correct information and then contact the firm.
“This isn't good enough.”
He concluded: “We don't have a government minister on today, but I actually think I can't force this to happen, I think this is something government should be engaging on.”
Lewis provides all sorts of practical advice for dealing with the cost-of-living crisis each morning on Good Morning Britain.
Topics: UK News, Money, Martin Lewis
Tom Wood