Resource ● Last updated 17 February 2025 ● 8 min read
Resolving a problem with your utility provider with the Ombudsman
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What is this resource?
Everyone uses gas, water or electricity. Utilities are necessary for everyday life. When you fall behind on paying your utility bills, these services may be shut off. If you are falling behind on your paying your utility bills because of financial problems, you might contact your utility provider to see if they can help you. However, if you are unhappy with the solution they offer you, you can ask an Ombudsman for help.
This resource is for Victorians who have already tried to speak to their utility provider but have not resolved their issue and want to ask an Ombudsman to help resolve the problem. It includes the following information:
- What the Ombudsman does
- Issues you can take to an Ombudsman
- What the complaints process with the Ombudsman involves
- What to do if the Ombudsman can’t help you solve the problem
Even if you are not based in Victoria, you might still find the information on this page useful. However, to find more information relevant to the state or territory you’re in, have a look at the websites we’ve listed at the end of this resource.
What does the Ombudsman do?
An Ombudsman is an independent and impartial authority which investigates and resolves complaints between parties. An Ombudsman is not a court, but it can make decisions about how best to resolve a problem within its jurisdiction. This decision can become binding if it is accepted by the consumer.
In Victoria, the Ombudsman for utility providers is the Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV). EWOV handles most Victorian complaints about energy and water issues.
Before proceeding with this resource, please be aware that EWOV has published extensive in-depth and relevant information on their website.
The purpose of this resource is to provide a quick explanation of who an Ombudsman is, what they do, and how you could engage with them.
If you feel comfortable navigating EWOV’s website by yourself, you should head there directly.
What issues can I complain to EWOV about?
This includes if:
- You have questions about billing and payment arrangements
- You are experiencing financial hardship and you can’t pay your bills
- Your utility provider has commenced debt collection against you
- Your utility provider has placed your name on credit default listings
- Your utility provider has disconnected or restricted your energy and/or water services
How do I make a complaint to EWOV?
The first thing you must before you can make a complaint to Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV) is to try to resolve the problem directly with your utility provider by attempting to contact them or by filing a formal complaint with them. They may be able to solve the problem for you. EWOV can provide you with information to assist with making contact with your utility provider.
However, if your issue is unresolved after giving the company a reasonable opportunity to solve it, you can make a complaint to EWOV.
Preparing to make a complaint
Before making a complaint to EWOV, you should first prepare your matter. If you struggle with gathering the relevant information, EWOV may be able to guide you once you start your complaint. However, it can help speed up the process if you do your best to do your research and get organised before you make the complaint.
You should make sure that you have gathered the following information:
You should be prepared to tell EWOV what specific decision made by the utility provider you are unhappy with – this could be situations where the utility provider has:
- Failed to offer you a payment plan or hardship arrangement when you indicated that you are in financial stress
- Disconnected your services without telling you
- Referred your utility debt to a debt collector
You should be prepared to tell EWOV what an ideal outcome to help you navigate the issue you identified might look like.
If your issue relates to financial hardship, it might be helpful for you to assess your current financial position and calculate a payment plan you can realistically afford to pay your outstanding utility bills. If you are not able to make any payments at all, you may wish to ask for a deferral instead. If you need assistance to assess how much you may be able to pay, you may like to contact a free financial counselling service. The National Debt Helpline can be contacted on 1800 007 007.
You should collect and organise all relevant documents supporting your complaint before applying. This might include:
- Your utility bills
- Evidence of financial hardship
- Any correspondence between you and your utility provider in relation to the issue
You are not required to provide all the documents you have to EWOV when you start your complaint. However, doing this will help you carry out the steps above and prepare your application. It will also make sure that you are able to quickly respond to AFCA’s requests for documents once the complaint is started.
Making a complaint
Once you have carried out the steps above, you can make a complaint to EWOV by phone, by email or online. EWOV also offers contact options for those who have difficulty speaking or are deaf or hard of hearing, and interpreter services if required. All these options are listed on EWOV’s website. Making a complaint to EWOV is free.
When you lodge a complaint via phone, email, or online form, you will be asked to provide the following information:
- Your contact details (name, phone, email, address)
- The name of your electricity, gas, or water company
- The address the electricity, gas or water is supplied to
- How you would like the issue to be resolved
- Details of your complaint
- What the utility provider said when you contacted them about the problem
What does EWOV do once they have received a complaint?
The complaint process at Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV) is designed to be easy and accessible. The following steps outline the process.
Once EWOV has received the information needed, they will contact your utility provider. This means they will usually refer the complaint to a senior person at your utility provider and ask them to investigate your concerns and contact you about the complaint. Once EWOV, have referred your complaint to your utility provider, your utility provider has:
- 3 business days to contact you by phone or email;
- 5 business days to contact you in writing; and
- a total of 15 business days to try and resolve your complaint.
If your utility provider does not contact you after EWOV has referred the complaint to them, or the complaint has not been resolved, contact EWOV again and let them know. EWOV will then investigate the complaint. At this stage, they may gather any relevant information required from you and the utility provider to work with you and the utility provider to solve the problem fairly and reasonably. This stage could take around a month, depending on how complex the issue is.
By investigating the complaint and looking at the facts, EWOV can help you and the utility provider reach an agreed outcome to resolve the complaint.
If you and the utility provider cannot agree on an outcome and the complaint is not able to be resolved, EWOV can make a decision about what it thinks the best way to resolve the issue will be.
If EWOV makes a decision, you will have two options:
- Accept the decision – if you take this option, the decision will be binding on the utility provider, meaning that the utility provider must comply with EWOV’s decision.
- Reject the decision – if you take this option, the EWOV process will be over, and the decision will not be binding on the utility provider. You will need to find another way to resolve the issue in another forum, such as a court.
Extra Resources
Who do I go to if I am not in Victoria?
Most state Ombudsman follow a similar framework. Below are a list of energy Ombudsman for other states and territories:
- New South Wales – Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW.
- Queensland – Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland.
- Western Australia – Energy and Water Ombudsman WA.
- South Australia – Energy and Water Ombudsman SA.
- Northern Territory – Ombudsman NT.
- Tasmania – Energy Ombudsman Tasmania.
- Australian Capital Territory – ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
This resource was last updated on 17 February 2025. This is legal information only and does not constitute legal advice. You should always contact a lawyer for advice specific to your situation. Please view our disclaimer for more information.
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