If you have a concern or issue you can make a complaint about an energy retailer (also known as electricity retailer or natural gas marketer), or your electricity or natural gas utility. When you speak, it’s our job to listen.
The following are charts showing the complaints that customers have filed with us.
Top 5 consumer complaints in 2020 regarding electricity utilities (by number of complaints)
| Complaint | Description | Number of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Billing | Errors, rates, equal billing | 131 |
| 2. Disconnections | Improper procedure followed, inadequate notice | 50 |
| 3. Meters | Data collection, accuracy of the meter | 26 |
| 4. Customer Service | Utility failed to resolve the complaint, failed to contact customer | 25 |
| 5. Customer Accounts | Opening, closing accounts, security deposits, arrears payment agreements | 16 |
Note: These numbers are not an indication of whether or not electricity utilities were following the rules and regulations.
Top 5 consumer complaints in 2020 regarding unit sub-meter providers (by number of complaints)
| Complaint | Description | Number of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Billing | Errors, rates, timeliness of bill | 105 |
| 2. Disconnections | Improper procedure followed, inadequate notice | 17 |
| 3. Meters | Data collection, accuracy of the meter | 9 |
| 4. Security Deposits | Amount of security deposit, payment of deposit, security deposit conditions | 9 |
| 5. Customer Service | Utility failed to resolve the complaint, failed to contact the customer | 6 |
Note: These numbers are not an indication of whether or not unit sub-meter providers were following the rules and regulations.
Top 5 consumer complaints in 2020 regarding natural gas utilities (by number of complaints)
| Complaint | Description | Number of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Billing | Errors, rates, equal billing | 82 |
| 2. Disconnections | Improper procedure followed, inadequate notice | 43 |
| 3. Customer Service | Utility failed to resolve the complaint, failed to contact the customer | 15 |
| 4. Load Connections | Cost of connecting, refusal to connect or continue to connect | 12 |
| 5. Meters | Data collection, accuracy of the meter | 9 |
Note: These numbers are not an indication of whether or not natural gas utilities were following the rules and regulations.
Top 5 consumer enquiries in 2020 not related to specific regulated companies (by number of enquiries)
| Enquiry | Description | Number of enquiries |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Electricity rates | Regulated price plan, electricity rates | 2,139 |
| 2. Low-income assistance programs | Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) and Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) | 1,089 |
| 3. OEB's role and decisions | Mandate, hearing process, website, disagree with a decision, comments on an application | 385 |
| 4. Targeted scam | Claiming to be OEB, claiming affliliation with a government program | 324 |
| 5. COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program | General information, how to apply, disagree with program, application denied | 176 |
Top 5 consumer enquiries in 2020 regarding non-OEB regulated entities companies (by number of enquiries)
| Enquiry | Description | Number of enquiries |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Water heater rental and sales | Ministry of Government and Consumer Services | 127 |
| 2. Energy audits | Audits by home services provider - Ministry of Government and Consumer Services Audits concerning incentives and qualifying for same - Save On Energy, part of the IESO |
114 |
| 3. Water, propane, oil and gasoline | Water – Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Gasoline – The Competition Bureau (a federal agency) |
113 |
| 4. Furnace / HVAC | Ministry of Government and Consumer Services | 106 |
| 5. Home protection / insurance plans | Home protection – Ministry of Government and Consumer Services Insurance – Financial Services Commission of Ontario |
32 |
The following scorecard shows how each retailer’s rate of complaints compares with the average for the whole sector. These are complaints that consumers have filed with us about active* retailers. We measure this per 1,000 contracts so that large and small companies can be compared against each other.
The following scorecard shows the number of complaints consumers have filed with us about active* retailers over the past 12 months ending December 31, 2020. Complaints are grouped into categories** that reflect the different stages of the contract process.
'Sign up process' includes issues concerning:
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whether the salesperson followed the rules for door-to-door marketing and advertising – e.g. they are not allowed to sign up a consumer at the door or leave a contract behind
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how the salesperson handled the sales call – whether they properly identified themselves; whether the consumer was given the required documents (OEB disclosure statement and price comparison) to help them make an informed decision
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whether the retailer followed the rules for internet marketing
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whether the verification stage of the process was carried out properly
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whether a consumer was aware they were signed up
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whether the consumer is paying the rate agreed to in the contract
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whether the retailer followed the rules for cancelling a contract – e.g. if a consumer was allowed to cancel; if cancellation charges were unfairly applied
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whether the retailer applied the correct cancellation rules and charges that were in effect when the contract was signed – e.g. the ECPA rules are different for contracts signed before 2011, between 2011-2016 and starting in 2017
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how a consumer felt their complaint was handled or if the retailer didn’t respond to the consumer
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whether the retailer followed the rules for renewing a contract – e.g. if the contract was renewed without the consumer’s consent or if the consumer was properly notified according to the timelines set out in the rules
We want to hear from you if you’ve got a complaint about an energy company that we license.