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Complaint statistics: 1 April to 30 September 2008
Overview of complaints for the period
Complaint statistics from 1 April to 30 September 2008 are consistent with previous periods, in that the majority of complaints were from residential customers and about electricity issues.
While overall the primary reason for complaints to EWON remains billing (31% of all issues raised by customers), we are seeing an increase in credit related complaints. Significantly, we received 926 complaints from customers with arrears on their utility account.
| Overall |
Total complaints closed |
4752 |
| Companies |
Complaints about distributors |
479 (10%) |
| Complaints about retailers |
4148 (87%) |
| Customers |
Residential customers |
4459 (93%) |
| Small business customers |
217 (5%) |
*Living in public housing
Top issue for customers in public housing |
219 (5%)
Credit (38% of all issues raised)**
|
*Receiving pension/benefits
Top issue for customers receiving pension/benefits |
1143 (24%)
Credit (33% of all issues raised)** |
*ATSI customers
Top issue for ATSI customers |
65 (1%)
Credit (55% of all issues raised)** |
*CALD customers
Top issue for CALD customers |
271 (6%)
Billing (30% of all issues raised)** |
*EWON does not routinely collect demographic information unless it is volunteered by a customer.
** Represents the percentage of all issues raised for this group of customers. Note a customer can raise more than one issue in their complaint.
ATSI: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
CALD: culturally and linguistically diverse
Complaints and issues by NSW region
| Region |
No. complaints |
Top three issues |
| Central West |
106 |
Billing
37% |
Credit
22% |
Customer service 19% |
| Far West |
13 |
Billing
23% |
Credit
23% |
Provision
23% |
| Hunter |
531 |
Credit
28% |
Billing
24% |
Customer service 18% |
| Illawarra |
266 |
Credit
29% |
Billing
26% |
Customer service 16% |
| Mid North Coast |
77 |
Billing
37% |
Customer service 20% |
Credit
12% |
| Murray |
85 |
Billing
29% |
Credit
26% |
Customer service 22% |
| Murrumbidgee |
46 |
Billing
39% |
Credit
20% |
Customer service 15% |
| North West |
40 |
Credit
33% |
Billing
24% |
Customer service 18% |
| Northern |
82 |
Billing
26% |
Credit
23% |
Transfer
17% |
| Richmond Tweed |
94 |
Billing
38% |
Customer service 16% |
Credit
12% |
| South Eastern |
105 |
Credit
34% |
Billing
26% |
Customer service 14% |
| Sydney Inner |
1138 |
Billing
37% |
Customer service 22% |
Credit
15% |
| Sydney Outer |
1658 |
Billing
29% |
Credit
25% |
Customer service 18% |
| Sydney Surrounds |
370 |
Credit
30% |
Billing
28% |
Customer service 18% |
| Other |
141 |
Billing
49% |
Customer service 19% |
Credit
13% |
Complaints by industry and level
| Industry |
No. complaints |
Complaint enquiry |
Refer to Higher Level |
Investigation |
Determination |
| Electricity |
3619 |
1310 |
770 |
1539 |
-- |
| Gas |
668 |
269 |
186 |
213 |
-- |
| Water |
351 |
213 |
55 |
83 |
-- |
| Dual fuel |
94 |
32 |
20 |
42 |
-- |
Non-energy/
non-water |
20 |
20 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
All issues raised by customers
| Breakdown of all issues raised by customers |
| Billing |
31% |
| Credit |
23% |
| Customer service |
19% |
| Transfer |
15% |
| Marketing |
4% |
| General |
2% |
| Supply |
2% |
| Provision |
2% |
| Land |
2% |
Snapshot of issues raised by customers
| Customer issue |
No. complaints |
| Billing issues
|
| High bill or disputed account |
823 |
| Delay in billing or bill not received |
221 |
| Backbilling |
187 |
| Estimated account |
152 |
| Error with a rebate or concession |
66 |
| Common hot water system |
24 |
| Disconnection and credit issues
|
| Arrears or utility debt |
926 |
| Facing disconnection for non-payment |
471 |
| Disconnected due to non-payment |
347 |
| Denied an extension or instalment plan |
268 |
| Debt collection or credit listing |
198 |
| Marketing issues
|
| Misled by marketers |
225 |
| Pressured into a signing or agreeing to a contract |
66 |
| Non-account holder was approached for consent |
42 |
| Transfer issues |
Problems with the contract terms
(variation in price, termination fees) |
286 |
| Delayed billing or problems with the new billing system |
247 |
| Did not consent to the transfer |
231 |
| Site ownership or disconnected in error due to transfer |
184 |
| Delay in the transfer |
175 |
| Transferred in error |
154 |
| Not informed about cooling-off rights |
142 |
| Transfer request rejected by retailer |
23 |
Explanation of terms
- Complaint enquiry: a request for information or assistance that can be settled or referred quickly
- Refer to higher level (RHL): complaint enquiry referred to a senior officer in the energy or water company
- Investigation: complaint cannot be resolved between customer and company, EWON investigates 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
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: failure to respond, incorrect advice, poor attitude/service
- Marketing: conduct by marketers, misleading information, pressure, non-account holder signed up
- Provision: problems with new or existing connections
- Supply: quality, damage/loss, outages
- Transfer: error in billing or transfer of account due to switching retailers, contract terms, delay in transfer, site ownership
- Land: impact of network assets, maintenance, environment
- General: nonenergy/water related, contractors
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