Our complaints process

Our complaints process

Good customer service is a high priority within National Grid and when our customers tell us they are unhappy with any aspect of the service they have received, we do our best to take action to put it right.

This leaflet tells you what steps to take if you find yourself in this position and wish to draw a matter to our attention by making a complaint. This service is free to all our customers.

So that we can address your concerns we may need to disclose your information to our employees, professional advisers or contractors. We will respect your privacy and comply with the data protection and privacy laws that govern these situations.

1. Making a complaint or checking progress of a complaint.

Please contact us by phone, email or in writing.

Phone: 08450 700203 (All calls are recorded and may be monitored for training purposes)

Minicom for consumers with hearing difficulties: 0800 371787.

Email: customersupport@uk.ngrid.com

Post: National Grid
Customer Support
Lakeside House
The Lakes
Northampton. NN4 7HD

If English is not your first language we will find an interpreter who can translate for you.

We treat all complaints seriously and guarantee:

  • A full investigation;
  • A detailed response within10 working days
  • If we are unable to fully investigate your complaint within 10 working days we will keep you informed of our progress and let you know when you can expect a response.

If we do not give you a response within 10 working days you may be eligible for a compensation payment under our standards of service.

2. If you are unhappy with our first response

You can ask for your complaint to be referred to our escalated complaints team. This team will review your complaint, try to resolve any outstanding issues and provide you with a further response within 10 working days.

You can ask for your complaint to be referred to this team, or contact them by phone, email or post quoting your complaint reference number.

Phone 08450 609 1543 (All calls are recorded and may be monitored for training purposes)

Minicom for consumers with hearing difficulties: 0800 371787

Email: Customer.escalations@uk.ngrid.com

Post: National Grid
Escalated Complaints
Brick Kiln Street
Hinckley. LE10 0NA

3. If you are unhappy with our second response

If you are still not satisfied or you think we may not have followed our complaints procedure

correctly, you can ask for your complaint to be referred to the Customer Support Manager. How we have dealt with your complaint to this point will be reviewed, and you will receive a response which explains our final position within 10 working days.

Please contact us by phone, email or in writing, using the address details given in Step 2.

4. Independent review

If you are not happy with how we have dealt with your complaint, you can get in touch with Consumer Direct, an independent consumer organisation. They will be able to tell you what your rights are and what you can do to settle your complaint. They will expect you to use our complaints procedure first though. You can contact them in the following ways:

  • Consumer Helpline: 08454 040506
  • Typetalk for consumers with hearing difficulties: 08451 281384
  • Website: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

5. Energy Ombudsman

If we have taken longer than eight weeks to deal with your complaint, or we have written to tell you

that we aren’t able to resolve it, you can contact the Energy Ombudsman. If they are able to help,

they will study your complaint, make a final decision and let you know what they have decided.

If the Ombudsman believes there is a case to answer, we may be required to:

  • Provide an apology; or
  • Provide an explanation; or
  • Take corrective action; or
  • If appropriate, pay compensation.

The Ombudsman is not able to help you unless you have gone through our complaints procedure first. By law, we have to accept the decision of the ombudsman. You can contact the Ombudsman service in the following ways:

Phone: 08450550760
Typetalk for consumers with hearing difficulties: 08450 511513 or 01925 430886
Email: enquiries@energy-ombudsman.org.uk

Post: Energy Ombudsman
PO Box 966
Warrington
Cheshire. WA4 9DF

National Grid is a trading name for: National Grid Gas plc
Registered Office: 1-3 Strand, London WC2N 5EH
Registered in England and Wales, No 2006000

Additional Information

  • It will be helpful if you can give us any additional information to do with your complaint (such as reference numbers) so that we can deal with it more quickly.
  • We will always try to answer your complaint by telephone. If you would like a written response to your complaint, please let us know.
  • If we decide we need to visit you at home to discuss your complaint or enquiry, we will get in touch with you to arrange an appointment.
  • So that we can make improvements, we use the information gathered from complaints to identify failures in the service we provide.
  • Full details of our standards of service
  • The Energy Ombudsman is a free service created by Parliament to settle disputes between gas and electricity companies and their customers.
  • For additional information please refer to the full version of our Code of Practice. A printed copy can be provided on request from Customer Support.
  • Ofgem has provided the following definition of a “complaint” any expression of dissatisfaction made to an organisation, related to any one or more of its products, its services or the manner in which it has dealt with any such expression of dissatisfaction, where a response is either provided by or on behalf of that organisation at the point at which contact is made or a response is explicitly or implicitly required or expected to be provided.

Department Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has provided the following definition of a small business who can use the Consumer Redress scheme.

  • an annual consumption of up to 200,000 kwh; or fewer than 10 employees (or their full time equivalent); and
  • an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total not exceeding £2 million.