In June 2018 the energy regulator, Ofgem, consulted on proposals to introduce a series of new Guaranteed Standards of Performance on all domestic gas and electricity suppliers in GB. These were to place a service level requirement on suppliers to provide consumers with an automatic and pre-defined level of compensation when problems with switching supplier occur. Following feedback from the energy industry and its stakeholders, the first 3 of these new Guaranteed Standards of Performance for Switching were introduced on 1 May 2019.
Following further work in this area, in September 2019 Ofgem consulted on the introduction of a second phase of the Guaranteed Standards of Performance for Switching. These would provide an automatic and pre-defined level of compensation to consumers where a change of supplier takes longer than 21 calendar days to complete; where a Final Bill is not issued by the losing supplier within 6 weeks of a switch; and where a consumer is erroneously transferred to a new supplier.
CAS supports Ofgem’s objectives in its proposals to introduce additional Guaranteed Standards of Performance for Switching. However, in our response to this consultation we detail concerns with some of the proposals as they currently stand.