E.on Next to pay compensation to 500,000 customers over poor service – here's who's eligible and how much you'll get
E.on Next will pay 500,000 customers £8 each in compensation after they struggled to get through to the firm on the phone last year. Below we explain who will get these payments and how.
It comes just weeks after four energy firms, including E.on Next, were forced to pay millions in compensation over late final bills and overcharging issues.
If you need help with your energy bills, see our What to do if you're struggling to pay your energy bills guide.
Who's getting E.on Next's compensation payments
500,000 customers who were "most directly affected" by E.on Next's customer service failings will get the compensation.
This includes those who tried to call the firm between October 2022 and December 2022 and had to wait more than 10 and a half minutes and/or failed to get through more than once.
Industry regulator Ofgem says E.on Next has since improved its performance, with call waiting times down to less than five minutes on average. The firm will also pay £1 million into the regulator's voluntary redress fund, which supports charities to deliver energy-related projects, such as helping vulnerable energy consumers.
If eligible, you'll get the compensation automatically
Payments will be made today (Wednesday 14 June) – in most cases, you should get the £8 as a credit on your energy account.
However, if you're on a traditional (non-smart) prepayment meter, you should get a voucher that you will need to redeem when you next top up.
If you're no longer with E.on Next (for example, because you moved or switched away) and think you may be eligible, you can contact E.on Next directly.
As always, watch out for scams asking you to claim or apply for the payment or requesting that you hand over your personal details.
How to complain about poor service
If you're unhappy with your energy supplier's service, don't just put up with it. While there's no guarantee you'll get any compensation, you can submit a formal complaint. Here's how:
First, contact E.on Next to raise a complaint. You can email unhappy@eonnext.com or call 0808 501 5200. Alternatively, you can try the free Resolver tool.
If necessary, go to the Ombudsman. As a last resort, if you've already tried contacting the firm and it's been more than eight weeks since you lodged your formal complaint (or you've received a deadlock letter), you can then take it to the Energy Ombudsman, an independent body that handles disputes between consumers and energy firms.
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3 December 2024
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