How to Make an Affect Energy Complaint

An Affect Energy complaint is now handled through Octopus Energy, because Octopus bought Affect Energy in August 2018 and moved its 22,000 customers onto Octopus systems. If your bill still shows “Affect Energy Ltd”, you complain through the Octopus service operation that runs the account, and you keep the same legal protections as any other domestic energy customer.

The core rule is the same whoever services your account: raise your complaint in writing, give the supplier up to eight weeks to resolve it, and if you are still unhappy (or you receive a deadlock letter sooner), you can take the case to the Energy Ombudsman for free. Free Price Compare sources this guidance from Ofgem, Citizens Advice and the Energy Ombudsman.

This matters for bill-conscious households because billing disputes are the single largest complaint type, and a resolved complaint can mean a refund, a corrected bill or up to £10,000 in compensation.

Last updated: July 2026

Written by the Free Price Compare editorial team | Reviewed July 2026

Who handles an Affect Energy complaint now?

An Affect Energy complaint is now dealt with by Octopus Energy, which acquired Affect Energy in August 2018 and migrated all 22,000 of its customers onto its own systems. Affect Energy no longer signs up new customers, but it still exists as a brand, and Octopus supplies power under its own name as well as under partner brands including Affect Energy, London Power and Co-op Energy.

This is the key point for anyone searching for the “Affect Energy complaint department” or a separate “Affect Energy complaint number”: there is no standalone Affect complaints team operating independently of Octopus. Your account is run on Octopus’s customer-service operation, so you raise the complaint through the contact details on your bill or online account.

Your protections do not change because of the takeover. Every domestic supplier in Great Britain must follow the same complaint-handling rules set out by Ofgem, and the Energy Ombudsman still lists “Affect Energy Ltd” as a named entity you can raise a dispute against, provided that name matches the company on your bill.

How to make a complaint step by step

Making an Affect Energy complaint starts with contacting the supplier in writing, describing the problem clearly, saying what outcome you want, and keeping a dated record of every message. Putting it in writing (email, online chat transcript or letter) gives you evidence and a clear timeline, which matters if you later escalate. Ofgem confirmed in its Consumer Protection Report published in July 2024 that energy complaints reached record levels, so a documented, methodical approach helps your case stand out and move faster than a phone call alone.

A structured approach gets faster results than a phone call alone. Follow these steps:

• Gather your account number, meter readings, recent bills and any relevant dates before you contact anyone.
• Raise the complaint through the supplier’s official complaints route, stating clearly that this is a formal complaint and not a general query.
• Set out exactly what you want: a corrected bill, a refund of a credit balance, an apology, or compensation for poor service.
• Ask for a reference number and note the date the complaint was formally logged, because the eight-week clock starts then.
• Keep every reply. If the supplier says it cannot resolve the issue, ask for a deadlock letter in writing.

Citizens Advice recommends complaining in writing where possible so there is a record of what was said. If you need help drafting the complaint or understanding your rights, the Citizens Advice consumer service can support you at any stage for free.

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What is the 8-week rule and the deadlock letter?

The 8-week rule means an energy supplier has up to eight weeks from the date you formally complain to resolve the issue or issue a deadlock letter. If eight weeks pass with no resolution, or you receive a deadlock letter sooner, you gain the right to take your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman for free.

A deadlock letter is a written statement from your supplier confirming it has done all it can and cannot resolve your complaint to your satisfaction. It is your key to escalating early, before the eight weeks are up, so it is worth asking for one if talks have stalled.

There is one point to watch. Ofgem and Citizens Advice state the eight-week threshold applies to complaints across suppliers, but some smaller suppliers quote a longer internal service target of up to 12 weeks. Your right to escalate to the Ombudsman is triggered at eight weeks regardless, so do not let a longer internal timescale delay you.

Should I keep paying my bill during a complaint?

Yes, keep paying the part of your bill you do not dispute while a complaint is open. Age UK and Citizens Advice both advise continuing to pay the undisputed amount, because stopping payments entirely can lead to debt building up and can affect your account even if your complaint later succeeds.

If you dispute a specific charge, pay what you agree you owe and put the disputed amount clearly in writing. If money is tight, ask about a payment plan; suppliers must offer affordable repayment arrangements to customers in difficulty.

Escalating to the Energy Ombudsman

The Energy Ombudsman is a free, independent service that resolves disputes between domestic customers and energy suppliers, and its decisions are binding on the supplier. You can refer your complaint once you have a deadlock letter or once eight weeks have passed since you first complained, whichever comes first. The Energy Ombudsman reported handling more than 100,000 accepted cases in 2023, its highest annual total, underlining how routinely households escalate disputes at this stage.

The Ombudsman can order the supplier to correct a bill, apologise, take specific action, and pay compensation of up to £10,000. Using the service costs you nothing, and you are not bound by the outcome; if you reject the decision, you keep the right to pursue the matter elsewhere, but the supplier must honour it if you accept.

Ofgem does not investigate individual complaints itself. As the regulator, Ofgem sets the rules suppliers must follow, but the Energy Ombudsman is the body that handles individual disputes once your supplier’s own process is exhausted.

• Check the supplier name on your bill matches the entity you are complaining about (for Affect accounts this is “Affect Energy Ltd”).
• Have your deadlock letter or evidence that eight weeks have passed ready.
• Submit your complaint history, bills and the outcome you are seeking.
• Wait for the Ombudsman’s investigation; if it rules in your favour, the supplier must act within a set timeframe.

Thinking of switching away?

Switching supplier does not cancel or affect an open complaint.

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What people complain about most

Billing disputes are the most common energy complaint, covering incorrect or estimated bills, unexplained charges and disputed final bills. Metering issues, smart meter installation problems, switching delays, credit-balance refunds and direct debit increases make up most of the rest. Ofgem reported that domestic customer complaints about billing and metering remained the leading categories in its 2024 consumer data, reflecting the pattern most households encounter.

Two rules protect households on the billing side. Under back-billing rules, if a supplier is at fault for inaccurate billing it cannot charge you for energy used more than 12 months ago. And if you have built up a large credit balance, you can ask for a refund, which the supplier should return promptly, usually within around 10 working days, or explain why it will not.

Concerns about credit files come up often too. If a supplier reports a debt or missed payment you dispute, complain in writing, ask the supplier to correct any incorrect information it has passed to a credit reference agency, and you can add a notice of correction to your credit file while the dispute is resolved.

What outcome can I realistically expect?

Realistically, most resolved energy complaints end in a corrected bill, a refund of overpaid credit, a goodwill payment for poor service, or a written apology and account note. A one-off catch-up bill is possible where you have underpaid, but back-billing rules limit how far back a supplier can charge when the error is theirs.

If your complaint is upheld by the Energy Ombudsman, the compensation reflects the impact on you rather than a fixed tariff, up to the £10,000 ceiling. Detailed evidence and a clear record of dates strengthen your case and the compensation the Ombudsman is likely to award.

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Can I switch supplier while I complain?

Yes, you can switch energy supplier while a complaint is open, and doing so does not cancel or affect the complaint. The complaint remains with the supplier that caused the problem, and your right to escalate to the Energy Ombudsman continues even after you have moved to a new provider.

For a bill-conscious household on a standard variable tariff, switching can be the practical response to a supplier you no longer trust. From 1 July 2026, Ofgem’s price cap sets the maximum unit rates and standing charges for typical usage, but a competitive fixed tariff can sit below the cap, so it is worth comparing before your next bill. Around 40% of accounts were on fixed tariffs and unaffected by the July 2026 cap change, according to Ofgem.

Before switching, settle or account for any credit balance and check for exit fees on your current deal. Our guide on how cancellation affects energy fees explains what to check, and you can also read the Affect Energy supplier guide for background on how the account now runs through Octopus.

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How does Affect’s service compare now?

Affect Energy has no standalone customer-service star rating because Citizens Advice only rates suppliers with more than 25,000 customers, and Affect sits below that threshold and is serviced under Octopus. When Octopus bought it in 2018, Affect held a strong consumer-review reputation for service.

Because Affect accounts run on Octopus systems, the parent supplier’s service standing is the closest guide to what current Affect customers experience. In the Citizens Advice Star Rating for January to March 2026, the median supplier customer-service score was 3.26 out of five, and 100Green topped the table on 4.33.

• New Energy Tariffs Launched By Affect Energy
• Understanding How Cancellation Affects Energy Fees
• Affect Energy Supplier Guide – FreePriceCompare
• UK Energy Bills to Drop 7% in July 2024
• UK Regional Energy Prices: Compare Costs Across the Country

Information correct as of 6 July 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Free Price Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).