Gas, Water and Electricity: Your Consumer Rights Explained | LegalDocuments.co.uk

Overview

Utilities consumer law is the body of rules that governs the relationship between you and the companies supplying your gas, electricity and water. It sits across several overlapping pieces of legislation and regulator guidance rather than a single code. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets a baseline for services supplied to consumers generally, including a requirement that services be performed with reasonable care and skill and that contract terms are fair and transparent.

On top of that, sector-specific rules apply: Ofgem regulates the energy market for domestic gas and electricity customers, while Ofwat oversees water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. Each regulator sets licence conditions that suppliers must follow, covering things like billing accuracy, complaint handling, vulnerable customer support and switching.

If a dispute cannot be resolved directly with the supplier, consumers can usually escalate to an independent ombudsman scheme. Understanding this layered structure, general consumer law, sector regulation, and dispute resolution, is the key to knowing where to push when something goes wrong.

Key steps

1. Read your contract and most recent bill carefully. Before raising any concern, check what you actually signed up to. Look at your tariff name, unit rates, standing charges, contract end date and any exit fees. Compare these against your latest bill and any recent communications from the supplier. This groundwork often reveals whether the issue is a genuine error, a misunderstanding, or a change the supplier was entitled to make.
2. Submit accurate meter readings and keep records. Estimated bills are a common source of disputes, particularly after a price change. Take regular meter readings for gas and electricity, and photograph the display with a date visible. For water, note any unusual spikes in usage that might indicate a leak. Keeping your own records gives you solid ground to stand on if you later need to challenge a figure.
3. Raise a formal complaint with your supplier first. Every licensed energy and water supplier must have a written complaints procedure. Put your concern in writing, email is fine, state clearly what the problem is, what outcome you want, and attach any evidence. Ask for a response within their published timescale. Most issues are resolved at this stage, but a written trail is essential if they aren't.
4. Escalate to the relevant ombudsman if you're stuck. If eight weeks have passed without resolution, or the supplier has issued a final response you disagree with, you can refer an energy complaint to the Energy Ombudsman and a water complaint to the Consumer Council for Water, which can then refer onward. The ombudsman service is free for consumers and can make binding decisions on the supplier.
5. Know your switching and cancellation rights. You generally have a 14-day cooling-off period after signing up to a new energy contract and can switch suppliers in the domestic market without penalty at the end of a fixed term. Check whether exit fees apply and time your switch so that the new supplier takes over smoothly. Keep final meter readings and any closing statements in case a dispute arises later.