Who can I contact with an energy question or complaint for my small business?

As a small business, there might be times when you have an energy question or need to make a complaint about energy service. 

In this article, you’ll find information about who to contact and when, as well as useful contacts to bookmark should you need to make a complaint. 

Who can I contact?

When it comes to energy, it’s helpful to understand the different organisations and initiatives available to you as a small business. If you need more information or want to make a complaint, there are three primary resources you can turn to: retailers, distributors and ombudsmen. (However, not all small businesses can contact their ombudsman - see below).

Contacting your energy retailer

Your energy retailer is the company that sends you your bill and manages your electricity. Examples of energy retailers in Australia include AGL, Origin Energy, Energy Australia and Red Energy. 

You can contact your energy retailer if you have questions about:

• Getting electricity connected and switched on at your office
• An electricity bill or account, including usage, costs, discounts, concessions, rebates, renewable energy and payment options
• Electricity meters and meter readings
• The accuracy of any electricity plans you’ve been sold over the phone, online, or in-person
• Cancelling a contract and your rights
• Any contracts that were put in your name without your knowledge or consent.
• If you’re struggling to pay your bill or if you think you’ve been charged incorrectly or are paying too much. 

To get in touch with your energy retailer, grab your most recent electricity bill as it will have their contact information listed. 

Contacting your electricity distributor

Distributors own and are responsible for maintaining the energy and gas distribution network, including power poles and lines, and natural gas pipelines, that supply your location. 

You can contact an energy distributor about:

• Power outages and safety concerns
• Power lines in your area
• Any questions about power quality, like low voltage that could be causing your lights to dim or flicker.

Find My Distributor

I want to make a complaint about energy. Who can I contact?

Some examples of common complaints small businesses make about energy are:

• Billing mistakes
• Higher than normal electricity bills, as well as price increases
• Outages and power surges
• Issues paying an electricity bill, and
• Meters, poles and wires.

If you have an issue with your energy service and would like to make a complaint, here’s what you can do:

Step 1: Get in touch with your retailer or distributor

It’s best to do this as quickly as possible to let them know what the problem is and what outcome you’re looking for. A phone call will likely solve most issues, but if not, you can escalate the issue further.

Step 2: Ask to speak to a senior manager or team leader

If you’re unhappy with the initial support, you can ask to speak to a manager to work through what options are available. Write down the name of the person you spoke to and put your complaint in writing (either via email or mail). 

When making a complaint you’ll typically be asked to provide:

• Your full name and account number
• Details about the problem
• Information about the outcome you want
• What action you’ll take if the problem can’t be resolved.

It’s important to request a response in a reasonable timeframe, which in most instances is two weeks or 10 business days. And make sure you keep copies of all communications to refer back to during the dispute resolution process. 

Step 3: Contact the energy ombudsman

If your issue still isn’t resolved after contacting your energy retailer and distributor, you can contact the energy ombudsman for your state or territory. 

Here are some examples of what an ombudsman can investigate:

• Unsatisfactory customer service
• Connection issues or faults
• Issues with supply, including reliability and disconnection
• Account disputes, including high bills, debts and outstanding payments.

Unfortunately, many Australian small businesses aren't covered by an ombudsman scheme because each Australian state and territory has its own definition of what a small business energy consumer is. 

For example, in NSW, the ombudsman will take the following into account when deciding whether or not they can support a business: 

• Annual turnover and number of employees
• Electricity and/or gas usage per year (more or less than 100 MWh electricity or 1000Gj gas), and
• Whether or not the business could solve their issues without the assistance of an ombudsman.

Useful contacts

Ombudsmen schemes around Australia

Free to use, every state and territory in Australia has its own ombudsman scheme. They receive, investigate, manage and resolve complaints against energy and gas companies. 

Here’s a table of each state’s ombudsman with the website and phone number. 

Independent state and territory energy regulators

Regulators are responsible for a range of different energy operations in each state. They keep an eye on and monitor energy laws, and they also set maximum retail prices for electricity (except in VIC, and standard gas in SA and NSW).

If you have questions about compensation for regular energy disruptions (like blackouts) or energy prices, get in touch with your state’s regulator (except VIC, speak to your retailer).

The table below lists each state and territory regulator and their website.

State and territory energy departments

For information and questions about any state or territory government operated energy programs, incentives or schemes, contact your local energy department.