What to do if you have a problem with your power company.

Electricity & Gas Complaints Commission (EGCC).

The Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner (EGCC) is a free service that deals with complaints from consumers about electricity and gas retail and line companies.

The Commissioner can only deal with complaints:

• about companies that belong to the scheme. (From 1 April 2010 all gas and electricity retailers and distributors will have to belong to the scheme.)
• about problems which occurred after 30th September 2001 (for electricity) or after 1 April 2005 (for gas).

The current Commissioner is Judi Jones, a Wellington-based lawyer and former chairperson of the board of Consumer NZ.

Before you complain

There are a number of steps you must take before you make a complaint to the Commissioner:

• You must make a "formal" complaint to your electricity or gas company or, where appropriate, your local lines business. To make absolutely sure there is no confusion about the nature of your complaint, we suggest you write to the company concerned and head up your letter "formal complaint".
• The company then has twenty working days to respond.
• If at the end of this time, you are not able to resolve your complaint with the company, you can complain to the Commissioner's Office.

To contact the Commissioner

To make a complaint, contact the Commissioner by:

• Email: info@egcomplaints.co.nz
• Website: www.egcomplaints.co.nz
• Phone: 0800 22 33 40
• Mail: PO Box 6144, Wellington.

 

Electricity and Gas Disputes Resolution Service (EGDRS)

This is an alternative disputes resolution service, covering a more limited number of companies. (Currently Trustpower and Bosco Connect.)

The EGDRS is funded by member companies, but is independent of the industry in its investigation processes and decision-making. The service is free to consumers, and its decisions are binding on members and consumers that use the service.

To find out more, or make a complaint, contact the EGDRS by:

• Email: info@egdrs.org.nz
• Website: www.egdrs.org.nz
• Phone: 0800 434 377   
• Mail: Freepost 209737, Tauranga

But I can't complain

If your company is not a member of the above schemes you should complain directly to your company. If you don't have any success, consider taking a claim to the Disputes Tribunal.

The Commerce Commission also handles complaints about power companies but its jurisdiction is limited to practices covered by the Fair Trading and Commerce Acts.