Citizens Advice response to Ofgem’s implementation of the CMA’s Whole of Market recommendation

Response to Ofgem’s consultation on the implementation of the CMA’sWhole of Market recommendation 234 KB

As​ ​the​ ​lines​ ​between​ ​markets​ ​are​ ​becoming​ ​increasingly​ ​blurred,​ ​with​ ​new models​ ​being​ ​data​ ​or​ communication​ ​driven​ ​and​ ​bundled​ ​products​ ​on​ ​offer,​ ​it​ ​is essential​ ​that there is​ joined​ ​up​ ​and​ ​coherent​ ​regulation​ ​across​ ​markets.​ ​

Citizens​ ​Advice​ ​has​ ​been​ ​concerned​ ​for​ ​some​ ​time​ ​about​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​protections for​ ​energy​ ​consumers​ ​who​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​TPIs.​ ​As​ ​we​ ​start​ ​to​ ​see​ ​other​ ​types​ ​of​ TPIs​ ​enter​ ​the​ ​market,​ ​and​ ​more domestic​ ​consumers​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​their​ services,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​an​ ​urgent need​ ​for​ ​regulation. Consumers​ ​should​ ​be​ ​entitled​ ​to​ the​ ​same​ ​level​ ​of​ ​protections​ ​no​ ​matter what​ ​route​ ​they​ ​take​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​the​ market. At present ​there​ ​are​ ​​gaps​ ​in​ ​protection​ ​for​ ​consumers​ ​who​ ​use​ ​TPIs, with this​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​as​ ​new​ ​business​ ​models​ ​are​ ​launched.