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To write to the Energy Ombudsman, explain what your supplier has failed to resolve, when you first complained and what outcome you want. Include the supplier's final response or evidence that the applicable waiting period has passed. A concise chronology is more useful than an angry or repetitive letter.
This guide concerns eligible energy supplier disputes in Great Britain. Gas ombudsman and electricity ombudsman searches normally lead to the same Energy Ombudsman service, not two separate organisations. Northern Ireland has different arrangements. Check the official scheme's scope before sending personal documents.
Complain to your gas or electricity supplier first
Use the supplier's complaints procedure and keep the original complaint date and reference. Explain the account, disputed charge or service problem and the correction you want. Ask for a written explanation and retain dated copies of replies, including email and webchat records.
If you are at that first stage, start with our energy supplier complaint guide and formal complaint letter template. An initial complaint to the supplier and an escalation to the ombudsman have different recipients and purposes. Do not skip the business's process simply because an independent scheme exists.
When can you escalate an energy complaint?
The Energy Ombudsman's current published process allows escalation after eight weeks unresolved, or earlier if the supplier issues a deadlock letter. Check the current official process before submitting, including any case-specific referral limits. A requested seven- or fourteen-day reply in your letter does not shorten the scheme's waiting period.
A deadlock letter records the supplier's final position. It is not a document that you create yourself. Our deadlock letter guide explains what to ask for and what to do when the supplier has not issued one. If the waiting period has expired, explain that fact and provide your original complaint evidence rather than inventing a final response.
What to include in an Energy Ombudsman letter
- Your name, contact details, supplier, account reference and supply address.
- The first complaint date, complaint reference and key subsequent contacts.
- A short explanation of the disputed bills, readings, payment records, switching problem or customer-service issue.
- What the supplier has said or offered, and which points remain unresolved.
- The specific remedy you want considered, supported by your evidence.
For a meter dispute, label readings by date and explain whether a bill used an actual or estimated reading. For a payment dispute, identify the relevant transactions and amounts. Distinguish charges you dispute from amounts you accept. Avoid sending unrelated financial records or unnecessary personal information.
Keep your explanation factual. A disputed bill does not automatically mean you can stop paying everything, and opening a case does not itself cancel a debt. Seek appropriate independent advice if payment difficulty or enforcement makes the issue urgent.
Example letter to the Energy Ombudsman
[Your name and contact details] [Date] Re: Complaint about [supplier], account [reference] I ask you to consider my unresolved complaint about [specific issue]. I first complained to the supplier on [date], reference [reference]. [The supplier issued its deadlock response on date / Eight weeks have passed and the complaint remains unresolved. Delete as appropriate.] The key events are: [brief dated chronology]. The supplier's position is: [accurate summary of its response]. The unresolved points are: [specific disputed facts or charges]. The impact has been: [documented loss, inconvenience or other effect]. I ask you to consider [specific remedy and reasons]. I enclose copies of [bills, readings, correspondence or other evidence]. Please let me know if you need further information. Yours faithfully, [Your name]
Replace every placeholder and delete the eligibility statement that does not apply. For an editable version, use our Energy Ombudsman complaint letter template. Do not include claims about legal entitlements or compensation that you have not checked.
Submit through an accepted channel and keep your records
The official process offers website, post, email and telephone routes. Use the scheme's current instructions and keep its acknowledgement and case reference. Retain originals and send relevant copies. If using post, check the current address directly with the scheme and allow for delivery time before any deadline.
A proof of postage confirms posting, not case acceptance or a decision in your favour. If you are unsure whether the scheme has received time-sensitive evidence, contact it through its official channels rather than relying on delivery assumptions.
Solar, finance and other utilities may need a different route
A faulty solar installation is not automatically an energy supplier complaint. Read the solar panel complaints guide to distinguish installation, supplier billing and finance. Eligible disputes about a regulated lender may instead follow the Financial Ombudsman complaint process. Water and other utility disputes also require their own scheme checks.
Free official help, optional printing and postage
The Energy Ombudsman consumer service is free. You do not need to buy postage to use an accepted online route. If you prefer a physical letter, Send Letters Online offers optional UK printing and postage from £2.99. We are independent of the scheme, not a claims representative, and cannot guarantee acceptance or compensation. Review your final quote before paying.
