Solarplicity Energy Limited Complaints Report
2016 - 2017
Solarplicity Energy Limited Complaints Report 2016/17
As an independent renewable energy supplier, good customer service is at the forefront of everything we do. Sometimes however, we realise that we do not always meet your expectations and there are areas in which we can improve.
With this in mind, we have listened to the feedback you have given us and in the last twelve months we have done the following to maintain a high quality of service:
- Increased the size of our customer service team.
- Continued to refine our Standards of Conduct Charter, which sets out our promise to have our customers’ interest at the heart of all our processes.
- Reviewed our complaints handling procedure to ensure complaints are dealt with efficiently by our frontline representatives.
- Continued to invest in our IT billing software so you are sent accurate bills in a timely manner.
- Began developing our online account management software to allow you to remain in control of your account.
- Dealt with more of your complaints within 1 working day.
Over the next year we aim to expand our customer services team even further and to invest in additional training, ensuring that any queries you have are dealt with as quickly as possible. We will also release our online account management software to allow you to stay on top of your energy account.
Our 2016/17 Performance
We do recognise, however, that we do make mistakes despite our best efforts not to. As we grow we face new challenges and sometimes this means we fail to provide the service you expect and deserve. We take all complaints very seriously and try to resolve them as efficiently as possible. In 76% of cases last year we dealt with the issue within one working day, while the remainder were all dealt with outside the 1 working day window.
Between the 1st October 2016 and 30th September 2017, we received approximately 92,190 contacts from our customers in the form of telephone calls, emails and letters. Of those, 451 were official complaints.
Complaints Data / 1st October 2016 to30th September 2017
Total number of official complaints received / 451 / Percentage of number of complaints received:
Complaints resolved within one working day / 345 / 76%
Complaints unresolved by the end of the first working day / 106 / 24%
Our Quarterly Complaints Data for 2015/16 is also available at:
We publish this data in accordance with the electricity Customer Complaints Handling Standards Regulation (2008). This Regulation can be read on the Office of Public Sector Information website at .
SolarplicityComplaints Handling Procedure
Solarplicity aims to provide a high standard of service to all of our customers. If you have experienced problems with your account or feel that some element of our service is not up to scratch, please get in contact so that we can resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Step One
Contact our specialist Customer Service Team, between the hours of 9am-5:30pm, Monday to Friday, or 9am-1pm on Saturdays,who will work with you to resolve your complaint:
Call us:0333 0044666
Email us:
Write to us:Batchworth House, Church Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1JJ
Once you have opened your complaint a Customer Service Representative will contact you within 5 working days and a thorough investigation will be carried out. Following a full review of your complaint we will take the following actions:
- Apologise and provide a detailed explanation of our findings and why this has occurred.
- Propose a remedial plan to put things right, and if appropriate, this will include compensation.
Step Two
If a complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction, or if you believe the decision should be reviewed, you can contact our Complaints Manager directly who will respond within ten working days:
Email:
Write to: Mia Patience at:
Batchworth House, Church Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1JJ
At this stage you may also want to seek independent advice
It's easy to get free, independent advice so that you “Know your rights” as an energy consumer. You might want to get a better deal, find out how to make a complaint, get advice about the quality of your electricity or gas supply, or ask for help if you’re struggling to pay your bills. To “Know your rights” visit for up to date information or contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06.
Step Three
Solarplicity is a member of the Ombudsman Services: Energy (OSE) which is an independent body that resolves billing, transfer and sales issues between domestic consumers, micro-businesses* and their energy suppliers.
If after following steps one and two, you feel Solarplicity has not resolved your complaint and your business is classed by the regulator as a micro-business*, then the OSE may be able to assist you. They offer a free customer or complaint advice service. Solarplicity is bound by any decision made, but customers are not. Please note that you will be referred back to us if you have not first escalated your complaint via our complaints process detailed in step one and two.
The OSE may investigate your complaint if:
- You receive a deadlock letter from Solarplicity, which will clearly show our final position in relation to your complaint. You can then refer the complaint to the OSE within six months of receiving the deadlock letter.
- You have not received a deadlock letter, but eight weeks have passed since you first made the complaint to us. You must refer your complaint to the OSE within nine months of first making your complaint to us.
If your complaint meets the above criteria, you can ask the OSE to look into your complaint by contacting them at:
Address:
Ombudsman Services: Energy, PO Box 966, Warrington, WA4 9DF
Telephone:0330 440 1624 or 01925 530 263
Web:
Textphone:18001 0845 051 1513 / 18001 01925 430 886
In all correspondence with the OSE please quote your Solarplicity account number.
*Businesses employing 10 or less employees or spending no more than £5,000 on the relevant energy supply (main gas or electricity) or with a turnover of under 2 million Euros.