EWON Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW. Free, fair and independent.

Making a complaint

What to do if you have a complaint

1. Contact your supplier first
2. Tell them about your problem, ask if they can help and what they intend to do.
3. Make a note of the operator's name, the date and time of the call, and what you talked about.
4. If the call centre staff can't help you, ask to speak to a senior staff member.
5. If the matter is complicated and not urgent it may be better to write a letter to the person who is in charge of dealing with your complaint.

When should I contact EWON?

If you are not able to resolve the problem, or you are not satisfied with the company's response, you can contact EWON.

What information should I give EWON?

We will ask you to provide your contact details, the name of your supplier, an outline of your complaint and the outcome you are seeking.

Try to describe the main events leading to your complaint in a logical order and as briefly as possible. It may be helpful to write these down before submitting your complaint.

Keep letters, bills or notes relevant to the complaint in one file. We will let you know if we require any information or documentation.

Leave EWON a phone number that we can contact you on during the day. This makes it easier for us to call you to discuss your complaint.

EWON may discuss the information you give us with your supplier. Please let us know if you would like to have anything you tell us treated confidentially

If you are an Advocate

You will also need to complete an Authority to Act Form which must be signed by the person for whom you are making the complaint. For privacy reasons, we cannot progress the complaint until we receive the Authority to Act Form.

Note about representatives or advocates who charge their clients a fee

EWON provides a free service for all energy consumers in NSW and some water consumers. Consumers are not charged for EWON’s services when they contact us for assistance with the resolution of complaints.

If EWON is contacted by a representative on behalf of a consumer we require an authority from the consumer, either verbally or in writing. (EWON has an Authority to Act Form for this purpose.)

Where it appears the representative is charging the consumer in relation to any aspect of the matter referred to EWON, we will contact the consumer directly and advise them that our service is free. If the consumer chooses to continue to be represented by their agent for a fee, the consumer’s wishes will be respected and EWON will deal with their agent.

If the consumer advises that they wish to deal directly with EWON to avoid incurring any costs, we will confirm this in writing to the consumer and deal directly with them regarding their energy or water complaint. It is the consumer’s responsibility to advise the agent of their decision to deal directly with EWON.

This approach to paid representatives is consistent with other members of ANZEWON, the Australia and New Zealand Energy & Water Ombudsman Network.