DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESSES FOR FEED-IN TARIFF COMPLAINTS RAISED BY GENERATORS

The delivery of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme, introduced on 1 April 2010, involves a number of different oranisations and processes!
To enable s"ifter dispute resolution, the #epartment of $nery and %limate %hane (#$%%) has produced this uide to the complaints
procedures for each of the oranisations involved, accordin to the different types of issues that may be raised by FITs &enerators!
Althouh this uide is for FITs &enerators, it should be noted that only the o"ner of the 'it or those "ho have been assined FIT (ayment
rihts may complain ) raise a dispute! For those "ho have been assined rihts, the dispute resolution process may be limited because of data
protection issues, and in those circumstances the o"ner of the installation "ould be re*uired to ta'e the complaint ) dispute for"ard!
Nature of compla!t E"ample# Compla!t #$oul% &e %recte% to'
%omplaint about FITs
+icensee (your
supplier)
#isputes or delays in
reistration of installation
#elay in issuin )
processin of FIT payment
,iscalculation of FIT
payment
1! %ontact your FIT# Lce!#ee in the first instance - your complaint "ill be dealt "ith
accordin to their complaints process, "hich should be available on their company
"ebsite!
2! If you are a domestic or micro business FIT &enerator and a mutually areeable
outcome has not been reached after 12 "ee's from the complaint bein loded,
you may refer your complaint to the E!er() Om&u%#ma!
1
"""!enery-
ombudsman!or!u'!
.! /nce the /mbudsman has received a complaint it "ill consider "hether the
supplier has been iven sufficient time to deal "ith the complaint and also assess
"hether the complaint falls "ithin the remit of the /mbudsman! If the
/mbudsman ta'es on the case it "ill investiate and ma'e recommendations to
rectify a situation! The FIT +icensee then has up to 20 days to action any
1
Please note that only domestic consumers and micro-businesses may apply to the Energy Ombudsman. A micro business is defined as an organisation that have a
turnover of less than 2m and less than 10 employees or an annual electricity consumption of less than !!"000#$h. %or larger scale consumers the supplier remains the
first point of contact. &n most cases suppliers 'ill allocate a relationship manager to its larger customers and this 'ould be the normal route for a complaint. &f there is no
resolution after 12 'ee#s or if the complainant is not satisfied 'ith the outcome the ne(t stage is via the courts.
)E** +arch 2010 1
Nature of compla!t E"ample# Compla!t #$oul% &e %recte% to'
recommendations by the $nery /mbudsman!
1!2! /nly domestic consumers and micro-businesses may apply to the $nery
/mbudsman! For larer scale FIT enerators the FIT +icensee remains the first point
of contact! In most cases FITs +icensees "ill allocate a relationship manaer to its
larer FIT enerators and this "ould be the normal route for a complaint! If there is no
resolution after 12 "ee's or if the complainant is not satisfied "ith the outcome the
ne3t stae "ould be throuh the courts!
%omplaint to FITs
+icensee (your
supplier) relatin to
information contained
on the %entral FIT
4eister!
#isputes relatin to
information contained on
the %entral FIT 4eister
All FIT enerators are able to "rite to /fem5s %entral FIT 4eister ,anaer and
re*uest details held on the %entral FIT 4eister about them!
1. If you dispute the information bein held on the %entral FIT 4eister, you should
first raise this "ith your FIT +icensee, "ho "ill attempt to resolve issue by
updatin the %entral FIT 4eister! If for some reason they are unable to ma'e the
update, your FIT +icensee "ill contact the /fem %entral FIT 4eister ,anaer
on your behalf!
2! If a mutually areeable outcome is not reached you should follo" the complaints
process detailed above!
A enerator about the
Authority (/fem)
#elays in accreditation for
'it (for those installations
that are reater than
60'7)
Appeals around
installations deemed not to
meet the FIT criteria
Appeals "here the
1. 8end your complaint to Of(em in "ritin9
/fem %omplaints,
/perations #ivision,
/fem,
: ,illban',
+ondon, 871( .&$
)E** +arch 2010 2
Nature of compla!t E"ample# Compla!t #$oul% &e %recte% to'
enerator feels they have
unfairly been struc' off the
FITs reister
i! ;our complaint "ill be ac'no"leded "ithin 2 "or'in days
ii! /fem "ill reply "ith the outcome of your complaint "ithin 10 "or'in
days! If it is not possible to reply in that time, /fem "ill "rite to update
you on proress "ithin 10 "or'in days!
2. If after this process the complaint has not be resolved satisfactorily you can "rite
to the Se!or I!formato! R#* Offcer at Of(em (at the address above) for a
further investiation, "ho "ill reply "ithin 10 "or'in days!
,. If you are still not satisfied, you can ta'e your complaint to the Parlame!tar)
Om&u%#ma! "ho carries out independent investiations into complaints about
public bodies! To ma'e a complaint to the (arliamentary /mbudsman, you need to
"rite first to your ,(, as'in them to refer the complaint on!
"""!ombudsman!or!u')
%omplaints relatin to
the ,icroeneration
%ertification 8cheme
(,%8)
+ac' of ,%8 accredited
installers in the local area
#elays in receivin ,%8
certificate ) 1umber!
1. %omplaints should be made to Gem#er+, "ho administer the scheme in "ritin to9
&emserv +td
,%8 +icensee
10 Fenchurch 8treet
+ondon
$%., .2$
/r email to9 mcs<emserv!com
"""!microenerationcertification!or)Information=,enu)&emserv=,%8=+icensee
12! Any complaints about the policy re*uirement to use ,%8 accredited 'it ) installers
should be referred to the Secretar) of State for E!er() a!% Clmate C$a!(e
,DECC-!
)E** +arch 2010 ,
Nature of compla!t E"ample# Compla!t #$oul% &e %recte% to'
%omplaints about
installers
>uality of "or'manship )
installation
Actual performance of 'it
differs from e3pectations )
information iven durin
pre-sale
1. Initial complaints should be referred to the relevant !#taller.
2. If the complaint is not resolved, you can approach the Certfcato! &o%) for t$e
!#tallato! compa!)! #etails of the correct %ertification body can be found on
the ,%8 "ebsite """!microenerationcertification!or)
,. Alternatively you can approach the Re!e/a&le E!er() A##ura!ce Lmte%
,REAL- to escalate the complaint! 4$A+ can "ithdra" the company5s
membership from 4$A+ and therefore stop them from tradin under the
,icroeneration %ertification 8cheme (,%8) """!realassurance!or!u')ho"-to-
complain
%omplaints about
product) 'it *uality
&eneratin 'it is not
performin ) is faulty
1. (roduct complaints should be referred to t$e ma!ufacturer or %#tr&utor "ho
sold the 'it!
2. If you are not satisfied "ith the response, you can then approach the
Certfcato! &o%) for t$e pro%uct to escalate the complaint! #etails of the
correct %ertification body can be found on the ,%8 "ebsite
"""!microenerationcertification!or)
A FIT &enerator
about the FITs policy
4aisin issues reardin
the final FIT policy!
1. %omplaints about the overall policy should be directed to the Secretar) of State
for E!er() a!% Clmate C$a!(e ,DECC- at the follo"in address9
. 7hitehall (lace
+ondon
871A 2A7
)E** +arch 2010 -
0e) Term#
Aut$ort)' The Authority "ill be the administrator of the 8cheme and responsible for enterin all enerators "ho
meet the eliibility criteria and have nominated a FIT 8upplier on the %entral FIT 4eister (/fem)!
CEAR Act The $state Aents and 4edress (%$A4) Act 200?, "hich came into force on 1 /ctober 2000
Compla!t' Any e3pression of dissatisfaction that needs a response! A complaint may be about service delivery or
policy!
FIT Ge!erator' The /"ner, identified as such in the %entral FIT 4eister, of an $liible Installation used or intended to be
used for 8mall-scale +o"-carbon &eneration, "hether or not that person is also operatin or intendin to
operate the $liible Installation!
FIT Lce!#ee' ,eans the collective term for ,andatory FIT +icensees and @oluntary FIT +icensees (8uppliers)!
FIT Pa)me!t#' ,eans, as applicable, the &eneration (ayments and)or $3port (ayments!
Ge!erato! Meter Rea%!(' ,eans the measure by a &eneration ,eter of the ross amount of electricity enerated by an Accredited
FIT Installation!
Nom!ate% Recpe!t' ,eans a person appointed by a FIT &enerator to receive FIT (ayments in respect of an Accredited FIT
Installation o"ned by that FIT &enerator and recorded as such on the %entral FIT 4eister!
)E** +arch 2010 !