Last chance to have your say on Ofgem's Retail Market Review

Posted on 13 February 2012 by Lauren Pope

There?s not much time left to give your feedback on Ofgem?s Retail Market Review - the deadline is 15th February 2012.

Image by Claudio Schwarz?via Flickr.

Ofgem is proposing changes to the business energy market in four main areas:

1. Protections for smaller business customers

Ofgem currently offers protection to microbusinesses, which are businesses that consume less than 200,000 kWh of gas or 55,000 kWh of electricity a year, or have fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover, or an annual turnover of ?2m or less. It?s suggesting that these protections be extended to small businesses with less than 50 employees and an annual turnover of no more than ??10m. Find out more about the protections for microbusinesses.?

Ofgem is also proposing changes to rules about rollover contracts; currently a lot of businesses end up paying over the odds for their business energy because their energy supplier automatically extends their contract.

2. Objections to switching

Another issue businesses face (and which we frequently come across) is their current energy supplier objecting and holding up their switch. Ofgem thinks this process doesn?t work as well as it could and is proposing changes.

3. New accreditation scheme for third party intermediaries (TPIs)?

Ofgem is suggesting that there should be a new accreditation scheme for energy brokers and third party intermediaries. It is also asking the government for powers to regulate brokers and act on misselling.

4. Enhancing standards of conduct

Business energy suppliers currently have very few supply licence rules; Ofgem wants ?stronger and broader? standards of conduct to give businesses more confidence in their energy supplier.?

What's our take on these proposals??Well, we've bolgged about this at length before, but in short?we're in support of anything that Ofgem does to improve transparency and encourage a competitive market, but we think the Review?is just the start of a much-needed overhaul.

We?ve submitted our feedback, will you submit yours?

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Source: http://www.uswitchforbusiness.com/blog/2012/02/13/last-chance-to-have-your-say-on-ofgems-retail-market-review

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