How to complain

Please only contact us if it’s urgent, so we can help those most in need. Thank you for your patience.

0333 202 9532^[2]

If you need independent advice

The Citizens Advice consumer service gives free, confidential and impartial advice. You can get in touch with them for advice at anytime during the complaints process:

• 0808 223 1133^[1]
• www.citizensadvice.org.uk/energy
• Consumer energy query form

Know your rights

It's easy to get free independent advice so that you "Know your rights" as an energy consumer. You might want to get a better deal, find out how to make a complaint, get advice about the quality of your electricity or gas supply, or ask for help if you’re struggling to pay your bills.

The document produced by the Citizens Advice service provides more information about where energy consumers can get free independent information and advice about their energy supply and ways to reduce their energy bills.

We always aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible

We'll make every effort to resolve your complaint within a day of receiving it. However, sometimes it can take a little longer, so if we haven't been able to sort things out within eight weeks, or if we can't agree a way forward with you (we call this 'deadlock'), we'll write and let you know that you have the right to pass your complaint to the Ombudsman Services: Energy.

The Ombudsman is there to help sort out disputes between energy suppliers and their customers. It’s free to use their services and they’re totally independent - they don’t take sides and their decisions are based only on the information they have.

You don’t have to accept their decision, but if you do, we’ll act on what they say. That might mean saying sorry, explaining what’s gone wrong, fixing the problem or paying you compensation.

You'll find the Ombudsman’s factsheet, which gives you full details of their services and how they can help by contacting them in the following ways:

• 0330 440 1624^[1]
• 0330 440 1600^[1] (Textphone)
• www.ombudsman-services.org/energy
• email: enquiry@ombudsman-services.org
  

Complaints handling procedure

View a copy of our complaints handling procedure.

If you would also like to view a copy of the "Gas & electricity (Consumer complaint handling standards) Regulations 2008", please visit www.legislation.gov.uk.

If you are unhappy with our service and would like to make a complaint, you can call us on:

0333 200 8899^[3]

Or you can write to us:

Services Customer Relations
PO Box 699
Winchester
SO23 5AR

We will always try to resolve your complaint

We will always try to resolve your complaint as soon as we receive it. Where we can't we will aim to send you an acknowledgement of your complaint within 48 hours and tell you who is dealing with the matter so that you know who to contact.

We will work hard to resolve the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible. Where your case is complex or involves a number of issues, we may need some time to make sure that we have covered everything. We will keep you regularly informed, either by telephone or in writing, while we do so.

We aim to agree a way forward that you’ll be happy with. If you’re not satisfied with our final response, or it’s been more than eight weeks since we received your complaint, you may be able to take it to the Alternative Dispute Resolution service (Utilities ADR) or Financial Ombudsman Service. These are free, independent services which can consider complaints about our range of goods and services and financial services matters.

• www.utilitiesadr.co.uk
• www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
  

If you purchased a product or service online, you also have the option to visit the European Commission’s online dispute resolution platform which will help route your query or concern to British Gas and/or the relevant ombudsman.

Complaints data

We are committed to working hard to provide an excellent customer experience. This includes dealing with any problems that may arise in a fair and efficient way, and with minimal disruption to our customers. We welcome all customer feedback, as this provides us with further opportunity to learn from our mistakes and continually improve our service.

The following summary shows the number of complaints we received, from 1st July 2019 to 31st December 2019. It has been prepared in line with guidelines from the Financial Conduct Authority.

During the reporting period we received 100,618 complaints from customers with one or more of our insurance products.

Putting this into context, our customers currently hold 7.8m insurance policies across our business, which means the complaints received represent 1.3% of policies in force.

Our return combines our two regulated businesses: British Gas Services Ltd (BGSL) and British Gas Insurance Ltd (BGIL), and are shown as a joint return on the FCA website.

• Firm names: British Gas Services Ltd (BGSL), British Gas Insurance Ltd (BGIL)
• Period covered in this report: 1st July 2019 to 31st December 2019
  
• Brands/trading names covered: British Gas HomeCare^® Cover
  

Complaints policy

View a copy of our complaints handling procedure and policy.

We always aim to do our best in providing the best service, however there may be times when things go wrong that make our customers unhappy. If you have a complaint about our service, you can be sure that we'll take it very seriously - and work hard to solve the problem by identifying what caused it. This process ensures that improvements are consolidated into our policies, processes and procedures.

We will always try to sort out your complaint as soon as we receive it. If we can't, we will send you an acknowledgement of your complaint in writing. Although we will work hard to deal with the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, if your case is complicated or involves a number of issues, we may need some time to make sure that we have covered everything. We will keep you regularly informed, either by phone or in writing, while we do so.

Our aim is to take no longer than eight weeks to deal with even the most complicated of complaints. Before the end of the eight-week period, we will either give you our final response with our decision on your complaint, or explain to you why we still cannot give you our final response.

Contact us

If you are unhappy with our service and would like to make a complaint, you can call us on:

0330 111 8098^[5]

Alternatively you can send an email to: installationcomplaints@britishgas.co.uk

Or you can write to us:

Customer Experience Manager, Central Heating Installations
British Gas/Scottish Gas Services
PO Box 177, Stockport, SK1 2FB

We will always aim to do our best in providing the best service, however there may be times when things can go wrong, which make our customers unhappy.  If you have a complaint about our service, you can trust us that we will take it very seriously and work hard to solve the problem by identifying what caused it. As a result we will make sure these improvements are consolidated into our policies, processes and procedures.

We will always try to sort out your complaint as soon as we receive it. If we can't, we will send you an acknowledgement of your complaint in writing. Although we will work hard to deal with the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, if your case is complicated or involves a number of issues, we may need some time to make sure that we have covered everything. We will keep you regularly informed, either by phone or in writing, while we do so.

Our aim is to take no longer than eight weeks to deal with even the most complicated of complaints. Before the end of the eight-week period, we will either give you our final response with our decision on your complaint, or explain to you why we still cannot give you our final response.

Independent advice

If you are unhappy with our final response – or if we have not been able to complete our investigation within eight weeks of receiving your complaint – you may be able to refer the matter to the Ombudsman Services: Green Deal who has been appointed as the ombudsman and investigation service for Green Deal. It’s the job of Ombudsman Services: Green Deal to help sort out any complaints about a Green Deal Provider. This includes complaints which we have considered but not dealt with to your satisfaction, or if you have not been able to register a complaint with us.

Ombudsman Services: Green Deal

Ombudsman Services: Green Deal can also accept complaints where the seller or landlord of a house fails to reveal important information about a Green Deal Plan, which they should do by giving the new Bill Payer a copy of an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

If you make a complaint to Ombudsman Services: Green Deal, you must do so within six years of your complaint to us. The contact details for the Ombudsman Services: Green Deal are the same as for the Ombudsman Services: Energy.

• 0330 440 1624^[1]
• 0330 440 1600^[1] (Textphone)
• www.ombudsman-services.org/energy
• email: enquiry@ombudsman-services.org