Complaints by issue & region
For more detailed statistics please download EWON's Annual Report 2010-2011
- Complaints opened/closed
- Increase in complaints by primary issue
- Snapshot of areas where complaints have increased
- Customer complaints by issue: Billing | Credit | Customer service | Land | Marketing | Provision | Supply | Transfer
- Complaints per NSW region
Complaints opened/closed
| Total cases opened | 18,054 |
| Total cases closed | 17,559 |
Increase in complaints by primary issue
Note: there may be more than one issue raised per complaint.
| Primary issue | No. complaints 2009/2010 | No. complaints 2010/2011 | % increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing | 8363 | 9669 | + 16% |
| Credit | 4103 | 4433 | + 8% |
| Customer service | 4018 | 4092 | + 2% |
| Transfer | 2600 | 2631 | + 1% |
| Marketing | 1023 | 1207 | + 18% |
| Provision | 399 | 424 | + 6% |
| Supply | 393 | 467 | + 19% |
| Land | 335 | 366 | + 9% |
Snapshot of areas where complaints have increased
| No. complaints 2009/2010 | No. complaints 2010/2011 | % increase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar feed-in tariff | 97 | 621 | + 540% |
| Credit rating affected | 280 | 439 | + 57% |
| Delayed bill or bill not received | 472 | 734 | + 55% |
| Pressured by marketers | 170 | 243 | + 43% |
| Incorrect advice of information | 502 | 621 | + 24% |
| Estimated account | 764 | 921 | + 21% |
| Disconnected | 689 | 813 | + 18% |
| Contacted by debt collectors | 561 | 650 | + 16% |
| Misled by marketers | 617 | 697 | + 13% |
| Disputed high bills | 3581 | 3900 | + 9% |
| Facing disconnection | 1389 | 1502 | + 8% |
Snapshot of customer complaints and issues
Note: a customer’s complaint may include more than one issue.
Billing: A total of 9669 complaints involved billing issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| High bill or disputed account | 3900 |
| Tariff (feed in or time of use, prices) | 1201 |
| Fees and charges | 1050 |
| Estimated account, meter not read | 921 |
| Billing error | 860 |
| Delayed bill or bill not received | 734 |
| Backbilling | 550 |
| Delay in issuing refund or refund not received | 220 |
| Debt transferred from another account | 164 |
| Meter accuracy or fault | 151 |
| Common hot water system | 63 |
Credit: A total of 4433 complaints involved credit issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Arrears or utility debt | 2003 |
| Facing disconnection due to non-payment | 1502 |
| Disconnected due to non-payment | 813 |
| Contacted by debt collectors | 650 |
| Credit rating affected | 439 |
| Payment arrangement declined | 386 |
Customer service: A total of 4092 complaints involved customer service issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Poor service | 2056 |
| Failed to respond | 1167 |
| Incorrect advice or information provided | 621 |
| Privacy concern or breach | 37 |
Land: A total of 366 complaints involved land issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Network assets (maintenance or placement) | 198 |
| Vegetation management | 36 |
Marketing: A total of 1207 complaints involved marketing issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Misled by marketers | 697 |
| Pressured into signing or agreeing to a contract | 243 |
| Non-account holder approached for consent | 88 |
Provision: A total of 424 complaintd involved provision issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Existing connection (eg cost of alteration, maintenance) | 263 |
| New connection (eg delay, cost) | 160 |
Supply: A total of 467 customers complained about supply issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Damage or loss due to unplanned/planned outage, supply variation | 252 |
| Sewer overflow or blockage | 23 |
Transfer: A total of 2631 complaints involved transfer issues
| Issue | No. complaints |
|---|---|
| Contract (eg variation, fees) | 985 |
| Transferred without consent | 554 |
| Site ownership issues | 417 |
| Billing problems | 234 |
| Transferred in error | 223 |
| Delay in issuing bill | 223 |
| Cooling cancellation not-actioned | 214 |
| Request for new account/transfer rejected | 49 |
Complaints and issues by NSW region
| Region | No. complaints | Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Central West | 406 | Billing 41%, Credit 32%, Customer service 15% |
| Far West | 24 | Billing 50%, Credit 18%, Supply 12%, Customer Service 12% |
| Hunter | 1727 | Billing 42%, Credit 21%, Customer service 16% |
| Illawarra | 1077 | Billing 40%, Credit 22%, Customer service 15% |
| Mid North Coast | 444 | Billing 32%, Customer Service 17%, Transfer 15% |
| Murray | 335 | Billing 38%, Credit 30%, Customer service 12% |
| Murrumbidgee | 196 | Billing 32%, Credit 23%, Transfer 16% |
| North Western | 173 | Billing 33%, Credit 25%, Customer service 15% |
| Northern | 230 | Billing 38%, Credit 24%, Customer service 14% |
| Richmond-Tweed | 319 | Billing 41%, Credit 14%, Transfer 14% |
| South Eastern | 429 | Billing 46%, Credit 17%, Customer service 14% |
| Sydney Inner | 4588 | Billing 47%, Customer service 16%, Credit 16% |
| Sydney Outer | 6021 | Billing 39%, Credit 25%, Customer service 16% |
| Sydney Surrounds | 1425 | Billing 38%, Credit 21%, Customer service 17% |
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