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Have your say on utility companies, Citizens Advice urges public

05-09-2007

Many people are having problems getting through to someone to deal with their calls about their utility bills, including water, gas, electricity, phones, internet service providers and digital TV companies. National charity Citizens Advice is encouraging people to have their say on the problems they have experienced through an online survey on the national charity’s website www.adviceguide.org.uk

The quick and easy survey, which runs throughout September, asks about people’s experience of telephoning a utility company and any problems people have encountered, such as not being able to speak to a real person, being kept hanging on for a long time, and the mounting costs of such calls.

Other questions aim to find out whether people had their problem sorted out during the phone call or whether they were passed around from person to person with no-one able to help or understand what needed to be done. Citizens Advice is keen to know if the experience would influence their decisions on the choice of company in the future.

The answers will help shape the charity’s evidence designed to promote good practice and put an end to poor customer service.

In the financial year 2006/07 Citizens Advice Bureaux dealt with more than 88,000 problems relating to utilities and communications. More than half of these were problems relating to fuel providers.

Citizens Advice social policy officer Tony Herbert said:

"Some people have been left hanging on the phone for a long time at great expense and have still not managed to talk to anyone. It’s very frustrating, as well as costly. We want to find out what people really think about contacting utility companies and whether any difficulties they have experienced would make them consider changing companies.

"The results of the survey will also give us a clearer idea of how people have been affected and what they think should be done. Our survey will provide ordinary people with the opportunity to make sure their opinions are heard."

In September 2004, a report and survey from Citizens Advice, Hanging on the telephone found that over 1 in 3 people (39%) were dissatisfied when ringing telephone, gas, water and electricity companies. It argued that call centres should be an effective gateway to services and problem resolution – not a barrier.

Notes to editors on Citizens Advice

1. The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales; www.citizensadvice.org.uk
2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
3. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at over 3,300 locations across England and Wales.
4. Advice and information  www.adviceguide.org.uk
5. Volunteer hotline 08451 264264 (local rate)
6. Citizens Advice Guide to your rights, second edition: January 2008 - over 600 pages of practical, independent CAB advice. An invaluable resource for any bookshelf - available from all good bookshops; price £11.99; ISBN: 9780141034089

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