Energy issues causing anxiety to rise

Spiralling energy problems combined with poor customer service levels are causing increases in anxiety, according to one Scottish charity.

Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau supports thousands of people to address their issues each year. It is one of many organisations funded by British Gas Energy Trust to solve energy problems people are facing.

In the last six months, the charity has helped people with a collective energy debt of more than £70,000 and supported clients to gain more than £200,000 in wider income, mostly through new benefits claims.

Denise Freeman, Energy Advisor at the charity, says these issues are exacerbated by poor levels of customer service, which lead to health concerns for the many clients she sees.

Denise said:

“The customer service that clients receive is often appalling – and some energy company staff aren’t even aware of their providers’ own policies, which means clients are often out of pocket through no fault of their own.

“There’s even been cases where energy companies have closed down complaints when the client matters have remained unresolved.

“I see it all the time – I can get through to energy providers quickly (as Citizens Advice has a dedicated helpline to speak to certain energy providers) but I find that issues could have been resolved much sooner.

“When clients call up themselves, they often have to prepare themselves to be on the phone a long time because they know they’re not going to get anywhere.

“There are people on the PSR (Priority Service Register) who are saying they are being almost harassed by emails four or five times a week threatening legal action, which is making their situations worse.

“I end up telling them that I’ll deal with it directly, but it shouldn’t be the case if matters were dealt with properly. This endless communication is causing clients’ anxieties to grow – it’s almost like abuse.”

Denise says the growing trend of issues not being resolved means she regularly has to resort to escalating issues to the Energy Ombudsman, which has always ruled in the favour of her clients.

Denise added:

“I only send things to the Ombudsman as a last resort – but it shouldn’t get that far. And when things are raised with the Ombudsman, they almost always go in the client’s favour – usually quicker than the months many people have tried to sort things out directly with the provider. But it shouldn’t be this way.” 

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