| Complaint statistics
Overall results
| Complaints comparison |
2002-2003 |
2003-2004 |
2004-2005 |
2005-2006 |
| Total complaints received |
6,304 |
8,709 |
8,207 |
7,682 |
| Total complaints closed |
6,242 |
8,568 |
8,259 |
7,624 |
| Change in complaints |
2004/2005 |
2005/2006 |
% change |
| Complaint enquiry |
2,809 |
2,804 |
<1% |
| Refer Higher Level |
1,148 |
1,685 |
+ 47% |
| Level 1 |
3,784 |
2,604 |
-31% |
| Level 2 |
427 |
383 |
-10% |
| Level 3 |
79 |
117 |
+ 48% |
| Determination |
12 |
31 |
+ 158% |
| Total |
8,259 |
7,624 |
|
Explanation of terms
- Complaint Enquiry: a request for information or assistance that can be settled quickly.
- Refer to higher level: complaint enquiry referred to a senior officer in the energy or water company.
- Investigation: complaint cannot be resolved between customer and company, EWON conducts investigation and negotiates an outcome.
- Determination (or binding decision): outcome cannot be negotiated between the customer and company, Ombudsman resolves the matter through a determination which is binding on the company
| Complaints per industry |
Electricity |
75% |
Gas |
11% |
Water |
10% |
Dual fuel |
3% |
Other |
1% |
Complaints per company
| Complaints per 10,000 customers* |
| Provider |
Complaint enquiry |
Refer to higher level |
Investigation |
Total per 10,000 |
| AGL |
3 |
3 |
7 |
13 |
| Country Energy |
3 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
| EnergyAustralia |
7 |
4 |
9 |
19 |
| Integral Energy |
5 |
3 |
10 |
18 |
| Hunter Water |
2 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
| Sydney Water |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
*Note: the number of customers for each member is based on data supplied to EWON by member providers.
| Other providers |
Provider |
Complaint
enquiry
|
Refer to higher level |
Investigation |
Total
complaints |
ActewAGL |
47 |
21 |
98 |
166 |
ENERGEX |
3 |
-- |
-- |
3 |
Energy One |
7 |
5 |
9 |
21 |
Jackgreen |
128 |
330 |
111 |
569 |
Origin Energy |
95 |
42 |
84 |
221 |
Powerdirect |
20 |
6 |
6 |
32 |
State Water |
1 |
-- |
1 |
2 |
TransGrid |
1 |
-- |
1 |
2 |
TRUenergy |
89 |
10 |
19 |
118 |
| Top three issues per provider |
| Provider |
Top three issues raised by customers |
| ActewAGL |
Retail competition 57% |
Credit 19% |
Customer service 13% |
| AGL |
Billing 33% |
Credit 27% |
Retail competition 17% |
| Country Energy |
Billing 32% |
Credit 24% |
Customer service 13% |
| Energy One |
Retail competition 50% |
Billing 26% |
Customer service 17% |
| EnergyAustralia |
Credit 33% |
Billing 27% |
Customer service 13% |
| Hunter Water |
Billing 27% |
Land 19% |
Customer service 18% |
| Integral Energy |
Credit 41% |
Billing 23% |
Retail competition 18% |
| Jackgreen |
Retail competition 73% |
Customer service 22% |
Billing 3% |
| Origin Energy |
Retail competition 33% |
Credit 26% |
Billing 24% |
| Powerdirect |
Retail competition 73% |
Billing 13%% |
Credit 8% |
| Sydney Water |
Billing 30% |
Customer service 19% |
Land 17% |
| TRUenergy |
Retail competition 55% |
Billing 27% |
Customer service 10% |
Complaints by NSW region
| Complaints per 10,000 people by NSW region* |
| Region |
Total per 10,000 |
Central West |
8 |
Far West |
11 |
Hunter |
18 |
Illawarra |
10 |
Mid North Coast |
10 |
Murray |
5 |
Murrumbidgee |
5 |
North West |
10 |
Northern |
13 |
Richmond-Tweed |
6 |
South Eastern |
12 |
Sydney Inner |
13 |
Sydney Outer |
9 |
Sydney Surrounds |
15 |
*Source of population data: Australian Bureau of Statistics
| Top three issues by NSW region |
| Region / Total complaints / Top three issues per region |
Central West |
174 |
Retail competition 30% |
Billing 26% |
Credit 21% |
Far West |
26 |
Billing 29% |
Credit 24% |
Customer service 14% |
Hunter |
1,104 |
Credit 45% |
Billing 19% |
Customer service 10% |
Illawarra |
389 |
Credit 34% |
Billing 22% |
Retail competition 18% |
Mid North Coast |
286 |
Retail competition 49% |
Customer service 15% |
Billing 13% |
Murray |
60 |
Billing 43% |
Credit 19% |
Customer service 16% |
Murrumbidgee |
77 |
Credit 32% |
Billing 27% |
Customer service 11% |
North West |
108 |
Retail competition 46% |
Billing 18% |
Credit 17% |
Northern |
222 |
Retail competition 63% |
Customer service 16% |
Billing 8% |
Richmond-Tweed |
121 |
Retail competition 36% |
Billing 22% |
Customer service 19% |
South Eastern |
243 |
Retail competition 44% |
Credit 17% |
Billing 15% |
Sydney Inner |
1,712 |
Billing 35% |
Retail competition 19% |
Credit 16% |
Sydney Outer |
2,270 |
Credit 28% |
Billing 27% |
Retail competition 18% |
Sydney Surrounds |
706 |
Credit 36% |
Billing 24% |
Customer service 14% |
Issues raised by customers
Notes on how we categorise complaint issues
- Billing: high and disputed bills, fees and charges, responsibility for accounts
- Credit: disconnection, arrears, difficulty in payment, payment arrangement declined, debt collection
- Customer service: poor attitude or service, failure to respond, incorrect advice
- Retail competition: conduct by marketers, errors in transfer of accounts, contract issues
- Provision: problems with new or existing connections
- Supply: quality, damage/loss, outages
- Land: impact of network assets, maintenance, environment
- General: contractors, non-energy/water related
| All issues raised by customers |
Credit |
27% |
Billing |
26% |
Retail competition |
20% |
Customer service |
14% |
Supply |
5% |
Provision |
3% |
| Land |
|
General |
2% |
| Electricity issues raised by customers |
Credit |
29% |
Billing |
24% |
Retail competition |
24% |
Customer service |
13% |
Supply |
5% |
Land |
2% |
Provision |
2% |
General |
1% |
| Gas issues raised by customers |
Billing |
37% |
Credit |
31% |
Customer service |
16% |
Retail competition |
5% |
Provision |
5% |
General |
3% |
Land |
2% |
Supply |
1% |
| Water issues raised by customers |
Billing |
31% |
Land |
17% |
Customer service |
17% |
Supply |
12% |
Provision |
9% |
Credit |
9% |
General |
5% |
| Dual fuel issues raised by customers |
Retail competition |
46% |
Billing |
23% |
Customer service |
16% |
Credit |
14% |
Other |
2% |
|
