Complaints this quarter

 

The Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) determination of the Default Market Offer (DMO) meant that residential flat rate standing offer prices fell between 3.4% and 5.0% in New South Wales, from 1 July 2026. However, overall complaints numbers increased by 14.9% compared to April to June 2026, with complaints about high bill disputes increasing by 19.7% this quarter compared with the April to June 2026 quarter. These increases to complaints are because most customers are on market contracts – 92.6% of energy customers in NSW – and still exposed to increased prices.

Complaints to EWON also indicate that the fixed element of energy bills, often referred to as service to property charges, increased significantly for some customers. This resulted in an increase in complaints about the price of fixed charges on energy bills.

Complaints received by industry

Jul to Sep 2025 – Jul to Sep 2026

Industry	Jul 26 – Sep 26	Percentage change Apr 26 – Jun 26	Percentage change Jul 25 – Sep 25
Electricity	6,007	15.01% increase (5,223)	1.01% increase (5,947)
Gas	1,068	15.46% increase (924)	1.93% decrease (1,089)
Water	293	2.81% increase (285)	10.57% increase (265)
Centralised services*	22	N/A	N/A
Embedded networks	195	2.99% decrease (201)	8.94% increase (179)
Consumer energy resources	1,012	11.21% increase (910)	54.98% increase (653)

* Centralised services are complaints about the sale of hot water or air conditioning in residential buildings. This industry category was introduced 1 July 2026 due to NSW specific changes to expand the application of the National Energy Retail Law (NSW) to the sale and supply of hot water and centralised air-conditioning.

Complaints received by industry

July to September 2026

Industry	Provider type	Jul 26 – Sep 26
Electricity	Retail	5,652
Electricity	Network	229
Electricity	Not allocated	78
Electricity	Exempt retailer	48
Electricity total		6,007
Gas	Retail	958
Gas	Network	78
Gas	Not allocated	32
Gas total		1,068
Water	Retail	148
Water	Network	91
Water	Not allocated	54
Water total		293
Non energy / non water total		22
Centralised services total		22

 

Complaint issues

Disputed high bills are the most common complaint issue received by EWON and these complaints increased 19.7% this quarter compared with the April to June 2026 quarter. Most other complaint issues within the top 10 are associated with energy bills, such as estimation, account management, tariffs (pricing) and delays.

There was a noticeable increase in complaints about tariffs and conditional discount or benefits. We expected to receive energy marketing-related complaints in the July to September quarter when retailers introduce new energy plans. Some of these complaints related to the new Solar Sharer Offer introduced as part of the DMO for FY27, and some related to the application of sign-up credits offered with new energy plans.

Top 10 core issues closed including the previous four quarters

Jul to Sep 2025 – Jul to Sep 2026

Primary issues	Secondary > tertiary issues	Jul 26 – Sep 26	Apr 26 – Jun 26	Jan 26 – Mar 26	Oct 25 – Dec 25	Jul 25 – Sep 25
Billing	high > disputed	2,368 30.91%	1,979 30.26%	2,096 33.15%	2,372 36.49%	2,707 37.67%
Billing	estimation > meter access / not read	309 4.03%	285 4.36%	204 3.23%	207 3.18%	202 2.81%
Billing	error > payment	196 2.56%	202 3.09%	188 2.97%	194 2.98%	222 3.09%
Billing	tariff > rate	195 2.55%	142 2.17%	125 1.98%	113 1.74%	102 1.42%
Billing	account closing > error	194 2.53%	199 3.04%	208 3.29%	160 2.46%	168 2.34%
Billing	account opening > error	157 2.05%	135 2.06%	139 2.20%	139 2.14%	91 1.27%
General	energy / water	156 2.04%	206 3.15%	152 2.40%	143 2.20%	152 2.11%
Billing	contract terms > conditional discount or benefit	155 2.02%	68 1.04%	62 0.98%	40 0.62%	30 0.42%
Billing	delay	153 2.00%	151 2.31%	179 2.83%	112 1.72%	101 1.41%
Credit	payment difficulties > current / arrears	137 1.79%	147 2.25%	102 1.61%	107 1.65%	180 2.50%

 

Water complaints

Water complaints increased compared to last quarter, with 293 complaints received. Water complaints represented 3.95% of EWON’s overall complaints this quarter, which is a typical proportion. It is important to note that most of our water provider members provide both retailers and network services. This quarter we received:

• 91 complaints about the retail services provided by water providers – 2.2% of all retail complaints)

• 148 complaints about network services provided by water providers – 22.9% of all network complaints).

 

Top five water core issues closed

July to September 2026

Issue	Number
Billing > high > disputed	93
General > energy / water	52
Land > property damage / restoration	29
Supply > sewer overflow / blockage	27
Customer service > failure to consult / inform	22

 

Embedded network complaints

EWON received 195 embedded network complaints this quarter – a slight increase compared to last quarter.

Embedded network complaints by service providers

July to September 2026

Service provider	Number
Retail	129
Exempt retailer	47
Network	6
Centralised services	12
Not allocated	1
Total	195

 

Top five embedded network core issues closed 

July to September 2026 

Issue	Number
Billing > high > disputed	43
Billing > contract terms > price increases	26
Billing > affordability > price increases	23
Billing > tariff > rate	14
Billing > error > cross-metering	8

 

Consumer energy resources complaints

EWON electricity complaints where the customer tells us they are using consumer energy resources (CER) increased to 1,012 complaints from 910 complaints last quarter.

Complaints received involving consumer energy resources by service provider

July to September 2026

Service provider	Number
Retail	921
Exempt retailer	12
Network	22
Not allocated	57
Total	1,012

 

Top five core issues for closed complaints involving consumer energy resources

July to September 2026 

Issue	Total
Billing > high > disputed	360
Billing > tariff > feed-in	46
Billing > tariff > rate	39
Consumer energy resource > system performance > fault	36
Billing > tariff > information	31