What to Do When You Have a Dispute With Your Energy Supplier or Utility
Sometimes it's possible that you may have a dispute with your energy supplier or utility. Luckily in Alberta you have several options for situations in which you would like to pursue a complaint about your energy supply.
You Have a Dispute About Your Bill
Your first course of action should be to contact your energy retailer directly if you think there's an error or you notice a problem with your bill. You and your energy retailer are expected to act in good faith when working to resolve any disputes. The terms and conditions for most energy suppliers require you to pay your bill, even if you dispute it. In order to avoid being charged additional late fees, you should continue to pay your monthly bill, even while you are in dispute over a previous month. If you stop paying your bill while in dispute over a previous charge, your energy retailer may pursue collection action. Find out more about what happens when you don't pay your energy bill.
If the dispute between you and your energy retailer is not resolved in a timely manner, you may want to consider bringing the complaint to the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA), Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), or another third party. The UCA can work as a mediator between customers and utility companies, though it does not have the same powers as the AUC has. The AUC responds to concerns regarding the utilities it regulates. See more information below about filing a complaint about your energy service.
You Think Your Meter Isn't Working Correctly
Meters must meet stringent regulations set by Measurement Canada, and models must be verified by Measurement Canada or an accredited organization before they are installed, so the likelihood of your meter malfunctioning is fairly low. Nevertheless, if you think that your meter isn't working correctly and your meter reads have not been accurate, you should contact your utility to see if they will check to make sure that your meter is working correctly.
If you have a continued dispute with your utility about your meter, you can file a complaint with Measurement Canada. You will need to download and complete a statement of complaint, and send it to Measurement Canada along with a copy of your energy bills and a description of your attempts to resolve the dispute with your utility. Note that you must have already attempted to resolve the matter with your utility before bringing it to Measurement Canada's attention.
You Would Like to File a Complaint About Your Energy Retailer or Utility
You have several options for filing a complaint about your energy retailer or utility.
Making a Complaint to the AUC
The AUC has jurisdiction and power of investigation over complaints regarding utilities and rates, thanks to the Electric Utilities Act, the Gas Utilities Act, and the Public Utilities Act. However, this jurisdiction is limited to specific areas (mainly regulated utility rates, terms, and conditions) and in some cases the AUC may not have the authority to intervene in your dispute. However, if you have a problem with your utility or a regulated rate provider, the AUC may be able to help you resolve your dispute.
If you have already attempted to resolve a dispute with your utility but are dissatisfied with their response, you can submit a complaint to the AUC. To do so, you will need to contact the AUC describing the issue and facts surrounding it, as well as the action you would like to see pursued. You may contact the AUC by the following options:
| Telephone | 780-427-4903 |
|---|---|
| [email protected] | |
| Fax | 780-427-6970 |
| Consumer Relations 10th Floor, 10055 - 106 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2Y2 |
The AUC may be able to provide you with information directly from their office, but in most cases will contact the utility and have them report back to the AUC or you regarding your concern. If the utility responds to the AUC, they will review the response and contact you to explain their findings.
In some cases the case may need to proceed to a public hearing in order to resolve the problem. In this situation the complaint must be be submitted to the AUC in writing. The AUC will work with you if your dispute goes to a public hearing.
You can find out more information about making a complaint with the AUC on their website.
Making a Complaint to the Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit organization that acts as an intermediary between consumers and businesses, and can handle disputes about energy service. Customers can file a complaint with the BBB online. They will need to provide personal contact information (anonymous submissions are not recognized), as well as information about the nature of the dispute. The BBB will then submit details of your dispute to your energy retailer or utility, and will ask for a response within 14 days. If no response is received, a second request will be made. Customers will be notified of any responses that the BBB receives (including no response), and the BBB states that they usually close complaints within 30 business days.
Submitting a Complaint to Services Alberta
Among other consumer issues, Services Alberta can address issues related to energy marketing, door-to-door sales, and landlord and tenants. To see whether Services Canada will address your problem, you should call them directly at 1-877-427-4088. All complaints submitted to Services Alberta must be done in writing. You have several ways of doing this:
| Online | Download, complete, and submit online the complaint form on the Services Alberta website |
|---|---|
| Fax | Print, complete and fax the complaint form to 780-422-9106 (for customers within the 780 area code), or to 403-297-4270 (to customers within the 403 area code) |
| (780 area code customers) Print, complete and mail the complaint form to Service Alberta Investigation Services - North 3rd Floor, Commerce Place 10155 – 102 Street Edmonton AB T5J 4L4 Fax: 780-422-9106 E-mail: [email protected] |
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| (403 area code customers) Print, complete and mail the complaint form to Service Alberta Investigation Services – South 301, 7015 MacLeod Trail S Calgary AB T2H 2K6 Fax: 403-297-4270 E-mail: [email protected] |
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| In Person | You can bring the completed form and any accompanying documents directly to one of the Services Alberta Consumer Services Offices listed above during regular office hours (it might be a good idea to call them first to check their hours) |
The completed complaint form should include contact information so that Services Alberta can contact you to follow up with the issue. You will need to provide relevant details about your dispute, along with any copies of accompanying documents (such as your disputed energy bills, any email communication). You should keep the original documents with you in a safe place, as Services Alberta may need to examine them at a later date. Services Canada will contact you once they have reviewed your submission, which may take a few days or weeks, depending on the complexity of your issue.
Services Alberta provides an infosheet with more information on how to submit a complaint to them.
Publishing Your Complaint Online or in the News
Some customers may seek online and/or media attention in the event of a dispute with their energy retailer or utility. This may sometimes be an effective method of attracting your energy retailer or utility's attention, but be aware that utilities are unable to provide information or respond publicly to a customer's situation unless the customer has signed a privacy waiver.