Business

OVO Energy to Pay £2.37 Million in Compensation for Customer Complaint Failures

OVO Energy, one of the largest energy providers in the UK, has been ordered to pay £2.37 million in compensation following severe shortcomings in handling customer complaints. The decision, made by energy regulator Ofgem, includes direct payments to affected customers as well as contributions to a redress fund.

Compensation Breakdown

According to Ofgem, OVO Energy will pay £378,512 directly to customers who experienced delays in their complaints being addressed. The regulator identified that up to 1,395 individuals faced significant delays, with some waiting as long as 18 months for resolution.

In addition to direct payments, OVO has contributed £2 million to an industry redress scheme. This fund supports energy customers and invests in energy projects, reflecting the severity of the consumer detriment experienced.

Also Read: Mass Casualty Incident Highlights Road Safety Concerns in Nigeria

Regulatory Criticism

Ofgem’s deputy director of retail compliance, Jacqui Gehrmann, criticized OVO for its inadequate response to customer issues. “It failed to adequately protect and respond to their customers when it was needed most,” Gehrmann stated. “This is not acceptable.” The regulator’s action underscores the importance of timely and effective complaint resolution in the energy sector.

Improvements and Changes

Since the onset of the investigation in June, OVO has made several improvements to its complaints handling process. These enhancements include allocating more resources and instituting changes to ensure that senior staff have oversight of customer complaints.

Concerns were also raised about delays in addressing complaints referred by Citizens Advice Scotland and in acting on decisions from the Energy Ombudsman. The improvements are aimed at addressing these issues and preventing future delays.

Company Response

In response to the compensation decision, an OVO spokesperson acknowledged the issues but highlighted recent progress. “We’re now third in the Citizen Advice energy supplier rankings for service,” the spokesperson said. “However, we recognize that a particular group of our customers in 2023 waited longer than we’d like for a resolution and were overdue a response from us, so we’ve sent them a letter of apology and compensation to help.”

Must Read: Fuel Tanker In Nigeria Hits Truck, Explosion Kills 48 Alive

Srishti Mukherjee

Recent Posts

Ajay Bhalla Appointed As Manipur Governor, Arif Mohammed Khan Moves To Bihar

Ajay Bhalla is made the new Governor of Manipur, and Arif Mohammed Khan is shifted…

15 mins ago

Nicholas Hoult Got Prosthetic P*nis As Memento From Nosferatu’s Director Framed At Home

Hoult’s behind-the-scenes anecdote adds a humorous twist to the intense and eerie vibe of the…

51 mins ago

Ryan Reynolds FINALLY Enters The Chat, Deadpool Star Has THIS To Say About Wife Blake Lively’s Sexual Harassment Case

Justin Baldoni’s legal team has strongly refuted Lively’s claims. Bryan Freeman, Baldoni’s attorney, described the…

1 hour ago

What To Wear For Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: A Guide To Comfort And Tradition

Preparing for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj requires choosing comfortable, modest clothing suitable…

2 hours ago

Spiritual Content Creator Abhinav Arora Talks About Trolling And Controversial Chicken Video: “I Can’t Attend School”

Abhinav Arora, a 10-year-old spiritual content creator, has become the target of intense cyberbullying, leading…

2 hours ago

SANTA TRACKER: When Will Santa Arrive In India? Track His Real-Time Christmas Eve Journey With NORAD

NORAD’s Santa Tracker allows children and families to follow Santa’s journey live, with updates starting…

2 hours ago