Ovo Energy, British Gas, EDF: which are the best and worst energy suppliers?
Which energy firms are the best and worst for customer service? Citizens Advice has ranked 16 suppliers - which one has been crowned the best and which one is the worst?
The research comes as more customers may be looking to switch energy suppliers and lock in a fixed price tariff due to the current energy price cap that came into effect on 1 October. Average energy bills increased 10% at the start of October, with the average household on a variable tariff now paying £1,717 a year (compared to £1,568 a year under the July cap).
The highest customer service rating by an energy supplier is 3.8 stars out of five, while the worst-performer only scores 1.8 stars, according to the latest Citizens Advice research, published today, which covers July to September.
The charity has seen record numbers of people asking for help with energy bills this year.
“We’re bracing ourselves for another challenging winter. Whilst suppliers’ customer service improved in the spring, firms need to continue upping their game to ensure people can access support in the colder months,” said Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice.
It is renewing its call for Ofgem to introduce a Consumer Duty, a set of rules to give the regulator stronger powers to hold companies to account and set a higher bar for customer service. It says the energy sector lags behind others with higher customer satisfaction, such as banking. There is already a Consumer Duty for the financial sector.
So, which are the best and worst energy suppliers for customer service? And how do you complain about rubbish service? Plus, if you want to find a better energy provider, our tips to help you switch.
Worst energy suppliers for customer service
Rebel Energy has been named as the worst energy supplier for customer service in Citizens Advice’s latest league table, with a score of 1.86 stars out of five.
In the last rankings, for the second quarter of this year, Rebel Energy was third worst, with a score of 2.68, but it has now sunk to the bottom of the table.
So Energy is second last (2.5 stars), and Utilita is third worst (2.7). Last time, Utilita was in last place with a score of 1.86 stars out of five.
The charity compiles the table using information from the Citizens Advice consumer service, the Extra Help Unit, Energy Ombudsman and Advice Direct Scotland.
A quarterly rating is given to all energy suppliers with more than 25,000 customers. It scores them on complaints, contact waiting time and customer commitments, among other things.
Best energy suppliers for customer service
At the other end of the table, Utility Warehouse and E (Gas and Electricity) have both been crowned the best energy firms for customer service. They scored 3.8 stars each.
This means they replace Ecotricity as the top supplier, which has dropped into joint second place.
Along with Ecotricity, Outfox the Market, ScottishPower and Ovo Energy are all in second place with the same score of 3.6 stars each.
Co-Operative Energy takes the third spot with 3.4 stars.
Utility Warehouse, which has more than one million customers, said that claiming the the number one spot out of 16 energy suppliers "marks a meteoric rise from 13th place 12 months ago and a close second in the last quarter".
Rob Harris, chief operating officer at Utility Warehouse, comments: “Resolving customer queries swiftly and effectively is at the heart of what we do, and it’s rewarding to see our dedication making a tangible difference."
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Energy suppliers ranked by customer service
Energy firm
Stars out of five
Utility Warehouse
3.8
E (Gas and Electricity)
3.8
Outfox the Market
3.6
ScottishPower
3.6
Ovo Energy
3.6
Ecotricity
3.6
Co-Operative Energy
3.4
British Gas
3.3
Good Energy
3.2
Octopus Energy
3.2
E.ON Next
3.1
TruEnergy
2.8
EDF Energy
2.7
Utilita
2.7
So Energy
2.5
Rebel Energy
1.8
Source: Citizens Advice. Refers to July to September 2024.
How can I make a complaint?
If you’re unhappy with your energy supplier, contact them and explain what you would like them to do to make it right.
They should have a complaints process on their website or on your energy bills that explains how to do this. They can also explain their complaints procedure if you contact them by phone.
Energy suppliers must try to fix any problems within eight weeks.
If this does not happen, or if you’re not happy with the response you have received, you can take your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
This is a free and impartial service that helps resolve disputes between customers and energy firms.
How to switch energy supplier
First, check if you can switch from your supplier and if there are any fees. For example, you may be on a fixed energy tariff that has exit fees.
If you still want to move to a different energy provider, contact the new firm to switch. You can usually do this over the phone or on their website.
You don’t need to contact your current supplier and tell them you’re leaving, as your new supplier will do this for you.
You’ll have a 14 day ‘cooling-off’ period, during which you can cancel the switch without paying anything.
Remember to take a meter reading on the day of the transfer to give to your new supplier. This means they won’t charge you for energy used before the switch.
Suppliers have to complete customer switches within five working days (six if you enter into a contract after 5pm). If they fail to do so, they have to pay affected customers compensation of £30.
Should they fail to pay you the compensation, you can escalate your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
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Ruth is an award-winning financial journalist with more than 15 years' experience of working on national newspapers, websites and specialist magazines.
She is passionate about helping people feel more confident about their finances. She was previously editor of Times Money Mentor, and prior to that was deputy Money editor at The Sunday Times.
A multi-award winning journalist, Ruth started her career on a pensions magazine at the FT Group, and has also worked at Money Observer and Money Advice Service.
Outside of work, she is a mum to two young children, while also serving as a magistrate and an NHS volunteer.
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