Electricity Complaints Commissioner decisions

CONSUMER COALITION ON ENERGY (CC93)

The Coalition: Business NZ

Consumer NZ

Federated Farmers of NZ Inc

Major Electricity Users’ Group Inc

14 December 2009

Media release: Consumer groups welcome final decisions on Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner Scheme

“After several years of slow progress, announcements last week by the Government and Electricity Commission that the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner Scheme [Refer http://www.egcomplaints.co.nz/] will from 1st April 2010 become the single nationwide disputes resolution regime is welcome news” said Consumer Coalition on Energy (CC93) spokesperson Sue Chetwin.

“Last week the Associate Minister for Energy and Resources, Hon Pansy Wong [Hon Pansy Wong, media release, Energy customers benefit under one scheme, 10th December 2009, refer http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/energy+customers+benefit+under+one+scheme], the Electricity Commission and Gas Industry Company [Electricity Commission, Joint Electricity and Gas Complaints Scheme Approved, 10th December 2009, refer http://www.electricitycommission.govt.nz/news/complaints-scheme] in a coordinated set of approvals agreed that from 1st April 2010 all retailers and distributors will have to belong to the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner Scheme. This means all consumers (both business and residential) will have access to a free and independent complaint resolution service.

“Consumers will first need to seek resolution from their electricity and gas suppliers. If not resolved with the company, all complaints will now be able to be considered by a single nationwide scheme headed by the Commissioner, Judi Jones.

The Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner Scheme has been operating for eight years, with most retailers and distributors (including Transpower) voluntarily belonging. But some consumers were left without a backstop dispute resolution service or one that lacked a comprehensive supply chain coverage or scale to establish nationwide complaint resolution precedents.

“The announcements last week by the Government to increase the support to provide households better information to search for lowest cost power suppliers, proposals to promote retail competition with asset and virtual asset swaps, coupled with this improved complaints regime are all helping to put the power of choice into consumer hands” concluded Ms Chetwin.

ENDS

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