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Energy Ombudsman reviews broker scheme’s first year

The Energy Ombudsman has reported on the first year of the energy broker dispute resolution scheme, with 741 disputes accepted, 69% upheld in favour of consumers.

The Energy Ombudsman, under the Trust Alliance Group, has published its inaugural assessment of the energy broker dispute resolution scheme, following its launch in December 2022.

During its first year, 1,890 brokers joined the scheme, with 741 disputes accepted, predominantly related to sales and customer service.

The scheme aims to address a protection gap for microbusinesses, providing an independent avenue for dispute resolution and potentially saving consumers time and money compared to legal recourse.

Ed Dodman, Director and Chief Ombudsman for Energy Ombudsman said: “While dispute volumes were low in the early months, we’ve seen a gradual increase over the year.

“We’ll continue to work with brokers and the industry to ensure that consumers are aware that they can use this scheme in the event of a dispute arising and that dispute remedies will be implemented on time.”