Utilities ADR

Resolve your Utilities Complaint with UtilitiesADR - for free!

We’re an approved provider of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services for non-regulated disputes between consumers, businesses with 50+ employees, and utility providers, operating across the UK.

Our service is completely free for consumers, and participating utility providers are bound by our decisions.

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Participating Members

UK & Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA)

Key Information

We can only deal with a complaint if it is currently unresolved, concerns a non-regulated matter, and is about a provider that is a Member of UtilitiesADR. It must also relate to an issue covered by our Scheme Rules.

Complaints we can deal with include, but are not limited to:

Boiler installations and servicing
Combined heat and power services
Plumbing
Utility Switching Services (such as comparison websites)
Drainage
Electrical work
Supply/distribution/billing disputes of LPG
Supply/distribution/billing disputes of fuels
Energy efficiency services
Renewable energy products & services
Heat network operators

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We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of service. With UtilitiesADR, you can expect:

Independence
Our independence is at the heart of everything that we do. As such, all stakeholders of our service (consumers, providers and regulators) can rest assured that we are not influenced by any party, organisation or any other external source. In this respect, our decisions are based on the facts of the complaint, evidence produced, the applicable law and regulations; and where appropriate, what is fair and reasonable.

Expertise
Our entire team is highly trained and skilled in utilities claims. Final decisions and awards are delivered by qualified adjudicators.

Transparency
As an independent, impartial organisation, it is vitally important that we operate like an ‘open book’ so that all stakeholders have complete trust and confidence in the decisions we make.

Resolution Time-frames
Once we have collected all relevant information and evidence from the parties, we will issue a final determination within 60 days.

The Complaints Process

STEP 1

SUBMIT YOUR COMPLAINT:

You submit your complaint, with all your supporting information and evidence, via any of the following:

1) Our online complaints portal
2) Post (using a paper form)
3) Telephone

… and we check whether it is something we can deal with under our Scheme Rules.

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STEP 2

WE REVIEW ELIGIBILITY:

If your complaint is in scope for UtilitiesADR it gets registered.

You’ll then receive log-in details for our online portal where your claim will be managed.

If we can’t accept your complaint, we’ll tell you why in writing, within 3 weeks.

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STEP 3

PROVIDER RESPONDS:

The utility provider is given 28 days to provide a response. They may:

Settle the complaint
Object that it falls out of our scope
Provide a written defence challenging the complaint

Their response is then posted in the Online Portal.

If the utility provider raises a scope objection, this is considered first, and the response period is paused while we do so.

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STEP 4

YOU COMMENT ON THE DEFENCE:

If the utility provider chooses to provide a defence:

You get 1 opportunity to comment on their response;

You get a 14-day window to do this.

The utility provider is then given a single opportunity to provide any final comment in reply.

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STEP 5

COMPLETE COMPLAINT FILE:

We confirm that we have all information and evidence from both parties and declare a Complete Complaint File.

From this point, no further information or evidence is accepted from either party, to ensure fairness to both.

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STEP 6

FINAL DECISION:

A specialist Adjudicator issues a written Determination within 60 days of the Complete Complaint File (Step 5).

This time-frame is extended only for highly complex cases, where we will tell both parties the expected timescale.

After our Decision:

The Final Decision is only legally binding on the utility provider if you accept it. You get 14 days to either accept or reject it.

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Approved by CTSI as Competent Authority under the 2015 Regulations / DMCC Act 2024

UtilitiesADR is administered and managed by Consumer Dispute Resolution Limited, an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, and is approved by Government under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 and the DMCC Act 2024.