Utility complaints spike 50%
Published:Friday | November 22, 2013 | 12:00 AM
The Office of Utility Regulations (OUR) has seen a jump of more than 50 per cent in the number of complaints that have been made to it about local utility companies over the last quarter, increasing by more than 300 calls from the previous quarter.
The OUR fielded a total of 833 customer contacts for the third quarter ending September 2013.
That compared to 577 for the first quarter and 527 for the second, according to the regulators most recent quarterly performance report which was released on Wednesday.
Contacts are defined as customer outreach to the OUR to make an appeal, an inquiry or express an opinion.
Worst performing was the power monopoly, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), which saw a 100 per cent increase in contacts related to the previous quarter.
But almost all other utilities also saw double-digit increases in the number of contacts made to the OUR - the National Water Commission (NWC) with an increase of 28 per cent; telecoms company Digicel, 14 per cent; its competitor LIME, 38 per cent; and cable company Flow, 50 per cent.
reduction in contacts
Only small water providers showed a reduction in contacts - 57 per cent less than the previous quarter.
Of the 833 contacts received, 53 per cent were in relation to JPS.
The NWC was the target for 28 per cent of the contacts, followed by nine per cent for LIME and six per cent for its larger competitor Digicel. The remaining four per cent were in relation to Flow and small water providers.
A total of 36 appeals were resolved in favour of the customer during the third quarter, with 23 in favour of the utility. There was a total of 164 outstanding appeals, 24 from the September quarter and 140 from previous periods.
Those customers that were successful in their appeals received more than $47 million in compensation.
The report states that the OUR's Consumer Affairs Unit secured a total of J$47.35 million for utility customers. Of that total, 77 per cent was applied as credits or other compensation to JPS customers, with 23 per cent for NWC customers.
The major concerns raised related to billing - 37 per cent of the total contacts; the new late payment fee for JPS customers - three per cent; service interruption - five per cent; disconnection - four per cent; and customer service.