Toto Energy bottom of customer service table

Toto Energy received a score of 1.45 for the period from April to June 2018, down from a score of 1.6 the previous quarter. Toto Energy had been second bottom last time, beating only Iresa, which ceased trading in August. Solarplicity, appearing in the table for the first time, came second bottom, receiving a score of 1.8.

So Energy came at the top of the table for the third successive quarter, with an impressive score of 4.7, closely followed by mid-tier suppliers Bulb and Octopus Energy.

TotoEnergy customers have reported problems to Citizens Advice including not being able to contact the company, and problems with billing. One person said their direct debit was increased by over £100, while another said they could not get through to the supplier to resolve their issue for over two weeks.

The data published today backs up these complaints, showing that customers telephoning Toto Energy spent an average of 23 minutes on hold, and that more than one in 10 customers had waited more than a year for an accurate bill.

Citizens Advice, as the official consumer body for energy, is highlighting the poor performance of some smaller energy companies and newer market entrants, arguing this demonstrates the need for tighter regulation. Ofgem will shortly consult on new proposals for granting licences to energy suppliers as well as the monitoring they should face after entering the market.

Citizens Advice has called on Ofgem to tighten up the rules around who is able to supply energy. It believes that companies entering the market before they are ready to deliver adequate customer service is damaging people’s experience and trust in the market.

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said “Too many customers are being let down by firms which aren’t ready or capable of providing a decent level of service. These aren’t small problems. Billing errors, blocking people from switching, and poor communications can cost customers money and make people’s lives a misery. Smaller companies at the top of the table show that size is no excuse for poor customer service.”

“It’s vital that Ofgem now tackles the problem of newer and smaller firms letting people down and tightens up the rules around who can become an energy supplier.”