Energy News

Key checklist for energy customers published

Wednesday 7 December, 2011

By Martin Fagan

A free guide and checklist to ensure consumers know their rights about their energy supply is available to download.

A new checklist for energy customers containing the key information they need to know about their energy supply is available online.

Published by Consumer Focus, the UK’s statutory consumer champion, “Staying connected” is a guide available now as a download and a shorter version will be sent to consumers with their bills early in the New Year.

The guide contains information about your rights as an energy customer, the level of service you should expect, how to switch supplier and get the best deal, what to do and who to contact if something goes wrong and details on what additional help is available.

There is also a detailed section on understanding energy bills, such as where on the bill the meter serial number is and where the MPR/MPAN - the unique reference number for your supply - is located.

Both these details are needed in order to switch energy supplier, but the vast majority of consumers have no idea what they are or where to find them.

“Energy bills are a major worry for many consumers, and yet many people find the energy market bewildering and sometimes struggle to find even the basic information they want or need,” said Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus.

“This checklist is a new guide to help customers understand their rights and signpost people to the most helpful information for them. This is intended as an easy reference point that people can keep for future to help with switching, checking their rights and tackling any problems that may arise.

“We hope this will be a useful tool to help customers to get the most from their energy firm and navigate their way around this complex market.”

The checklist is published by Consumer Focus in collaboration with energy regulator Ofgem and energy suppliers, as part of its statutory duties on energy issues. A detailed checklist is available on Consumer Focus’ dedicated Staying Connected webpage.