ewon.com.au

What is Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON)?

The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) is a free, independent dispute-resolution service for electricity and gas customers in New South Wales, and for some water customers. If you have a complaint about your energy, gas or water provider that you have not been able to resolve directly, EWON can step in, investigate, and work towards an outcome it considers fair and reasonable. Its services are free to consumers.

How a complaint typically proceeds

1. Contact your provider first. Raise the issue with your retailer or network operator and give them a chance to fix it.
2. Complain to EWON if you are not satisfied. EWON may refer the matter to a senior contact at your provider, who is expected to respond within about five days.
3. EWON can investigate. If the provider does not respond, or you are unhappy with the response, EWON can take the complaint further.
4. EWON works towards an outcome. The aim is a resolution that is fair and reasonable, not simply what either side demands.

What people commonly bring to EWON

The service covers issues such as paying bills and payment difficulty, ways to save on bills, embedded networks, switching retailers, disconnection, and managing your account.

Who it suits, and the trade-offs

EWON is most useful if you have already tried your provider and hit a wall, or if you are facing disconnection or a billing dispute you cannot resolve alone. The main trade-off is that it is a complaint-handling and resolution body, not an adviser that shops around for the cheapest plan for you, and it generally expects you to approach your provider first. It is also specific to New South Wales; residents of other states use their own ombudsman schemes.

A practical next step

Before contacting EWON, gather your account details, dates of contact with your provider, reference numbers, and any written responses. That record makes it much faster for EWON to assess whether your complaint is ready to investigate.

You can start at Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON), or call 1800 246 545. For broader consumer and fair-trading issues in NSW, NSW Fair Trading is a related starting point.

How do I lodge a complaint with EWON about my energy or water provider?

Start by complaining directly to your provider, then escalate to EWON if you are not satisfied with their response. EWON — the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW — is a free, independent dispute resolution service for electricity and gas customers in New South Wales, and for some water customers. You do not need to pay anything to use it.

The escalation path

1. Contact your provider first. EWON expects you to raise the issue with your retailer or network operator before involving them. Ask for a reference number and note who you spoke to.
2. Complain to EWON if the response falls short. If you are unhappy with what your provider says or does, lodge a complaint with EWON. EWON may refer it to a senior contact at the provider, who is expected to respond within five days.
3. EWON can investigate. If the provider does not get back to you, or you are still unhappy with the outcome, EWON can take the matter further.
4. EWON works towards an outcome. The aim is a resolution that is fair and reasonable, not necessarily the one either side initially wanted.

You can make a complaint through the EWON website or by calling 1800 246 545.

What EWON commonly handles

• Difficulty paying bills, or payment arrangements
• Ways to save on your bills
• Embedded networks
• Switching retailers
• Disconnection
• Managing your account

Before you lodge

Have these ready: your account number, the provider's name, a short timeline of what happened, the reference number from your earlier complaint, and a clear statement of what outcome you want. This shortens the back-and-forth considerably.

If your issue is with a provider outside NSW, or a type of service EWON does not cover, check who the relevant ombudsman is for your state or territory. EWON's own site is at Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON).

What types of disputes can EWON investigate against electricity, gas, or water companies?

EWON handles complaints about electricity, gas and some water providers in New South Wales, and its scope covers most of the everyday problems that arise between a household or small business and its provider. The types of disputes it can investigate include billing and account issues, payment difficulties, disconnection, retailer switching, embedded networks, and problems with the service itself.

What EWON can look into

• Billing and accounts: incorrect or disputed charges, estimated reads, refunds, account management, and payment arrangements.
• Payment difficulty and debt: affordability problems, payment plans, and how a provider has handled someone who is struggling to pay.
• Disconnection and restriction: whether a provider followed the rules before cutting off supply, and whether disconnection was appropriate.
• Retailer switching: transfers that went wrong, unwanted transfers, and delays or errors when changing retailers.
• Embedded networks: issues in apartment blocks, caravan parks and similar sites where electricity, gas or water is on-sold.
• Service and supply problems: faults, outages, metering, and the quality of the service provided.
• Water: for the water customers within EWON's jurisdiction, complaints about billing, supply and related service issues.

How the process shapes what counts

EWON does not take a complaint straight away. Its published process asks you to contact your provider first, then complain to EWON if you are unhappy with the response. EWON may refer the matter to a senior contact at the provider, who is expected to respond within five days. If that does not resolve it, EWON can investigate and work towards an outcome it considers fair and reasonable. This means a dispute is usually something the provider has already had a chance to fix, rather than a first point of contact.

A practical example

Suppose a Sydney tenant receives a $900 electricity bill after a meter reading error, asks the retailer to correct it, and is told to pay in full. That is a billing dispute EWON can take up. If the retailer then agrees to reissue the bill, there is nothing left to investigate. If it refuses, EWON can look at the account and the provider's conduct.

Deciding whether to use EWON

Use EWON when the problem is with your electricity, gas or water provider, you have already raised it with them, and you have not reached a resolution. Its service is free and independent, which makes it a low-risk step before considering other options. Check whether your provider and location fall within its jurisdiction first, since not all water customers are covered. For energy-specific guidance you can also compare the official information at Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON), and for broader consumer matters see ACCC and NSW Energy.

Is EWON's dispute resolution service free, and how is it funded?

Yes. EWON's dispute resolution service is free to customers. The page states plainly, "Our services are free," and the complaint process is described as a no-cost escalation route for electricity, gas and some water customers in New South Wales.

What "free" covers

• Making a complaint to EWON about your provider
• EWON referring your complaint to a senior contact at the provider
• Investigation if the provider does not respond or you are unhappy with the outcome
• Working towards a resolution EWON considers fair and reasonable

The free service is the dispute resolution itself. It does not mean your energy or water bill is waived, reduced or paid for by EWON. Any account balance, debt or payment arrangement remains a matter between you and your provider unless EWON's investigation results in a different outcome.

How it is funded

The page evidence does not set out EWON's funding model. What is clear from the service description is that customers are not charged to complain or to have a complaint investigated. In practice, an industry-funded ombudsman scheme of this type is financed through its member providers rather than through user fees, which is why the service can be offered at no cost to consumers. The page itself does not spell out the mechanism, so treat that as the general model rather than a detail confirmed on this page.

A practical scenario

Suppose your retailer issues a disconnection notice you believe is wrong. You contact the retailer first, as EWON's process requires. If the response is unsatisfactory or missing, you complain to EWON. EWON may refer it to a senior contact, who is expected to make contact within five days. If that does not resolve it, EWON can investigate and work towards a fair and reasonable outcome. None of those steps generate a fee for you.

Decision criterion

Use EWON when you have already raised the issue with your provider and are either unsatisfied or waiting on a response. If you have not contacted the provider yet, start there; EWON's first step is for you to let the provider know. If cost has been a barrier to pursuing a complaint, that barrier does not apply here.

Next step: call 1800 246 545 or make a complaint through the site, and have your account details and any correspondence with your provider ready. For broader consumer and utility complaint routes, see Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

What should I do if my energy provider is about to disconnect me and I can't pay?

If you are in New South Wales and your electricity or gas provider has warned you about disconnection, act in this order: contact your retailer immediately, ask what hardship assistance or payment plan they can offer, and if you are not satisfied with their response, take it to the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW. EWON is free, independent of the retailers, and can investigate once you have given the provider a chance to resolve it.

The escalation path EWON describes

1. Contact your provider first. Tell them you are struggling to pay and ask about hardship programs, instalment plans, and any rebates you may be eligible for. Retailers in NSW are required to have hardship policies, so ask specifically for the hardship team rather than general billing.
2. Complain to the ombudsman if the response is inadequate. EWON may refer your complaint to a senior contact at your provider, who is expected to get back to you within five days.
3. Investigation. If the provider does not respond or you are unhappy with the outcome, EWON can investigate.
4. Outcome. EWON works towards a resolution it considers fair and reasonable, and the service costs you nothing.

What to have ready

• Your account number and the provider's name.
• Any disconnection notice, including the date on it.
• A record of when you contacted the provider, who you spoke to, and what they promised.
• A realistic picture of what you can afford to pay, and when.

Practical points worth knowing

Disconnection is not the only option available to you, and the earlier you make contact, the more room there is to negotiate. EWON's own guidance covers paying bills, ways to save, embedded networks, switching retailers, disconnection and managing your account — so if your problem is a billing error or a retailer you cannot get through to, that is squarely within its remit. Note that EWON handles electricity and gas customers in NSW and some water customers, so check your situation fits before lodging.

If you need to speak to someone now, EWON publishes a phone line for complaints, and its website also lets you lodge a complaint online. For free and confidential financial counselling, the National Debt Helpline at National Debt Helpline is a sensible parallel step, and the Australian Energy Regulator at Australian Energy Regulator explains the retail rules and hardship protections that retailers must follow.

The key decision criterion: if you have not yet asked your retailer for a hardship arrangement, do that first — it is the step EWON expects and the fastest route to staying connected. If you have asked and been refused, ignored, or given an unaffordable plan, escalate to EWON rather than waiting for the disconnection date to arrive.

How does EWON handle complaints about embedded networks or switching retailers?

EWON handles both complaint types the same way it handles any energy dispute: it is the free, independent escalation step after you have already raised the issue with your provider. It does not switch retailers for you or set your tariffs, but it can investigate whether a provider has treated you fairly and work towards a resolution it considers fair and reasonable.

Embedded networks

Embedded networks are private electricity, gas or water systems — common in apartment blocks, caravan parks, retirement villages and shopping centres — where you buy your energy from the embedded network operator rather than a standard retailer.

If you have a problem with billing, metering, charges or supply in an embedded network, the practical sequence is:

• Contact the embedded network operator first and give them a chance to fix it.
• If you are not satisfied with their response, complain to EWON. EWON may refer the matter to a senior contact at the provider, who is expected to respond within about five days.
• If you still do not hear back or are unhappy with the outcome, EWON can investigate and pursue a resolution.

The trade-off is that embedded network arrangements can be more complex than standard retail supply, and outcomes depend on the specific contract and rules that apply to your site. EWON can examine whether the operator acted reasonably, but it cannot rewrite a commercial arrangement.

Switching retailers

Switching problems usually fall into a few categories: a switch that did not go through, a transfer that happened without your consent, delays, or unexpected fees or charges from your old or new retailer.

The same escalation path applies — raise it with your retailer first, then bring it to EWON if it is unresolved. EWON can look into whether the retailer followed the rules and push for a fair outcome, which may include correcting charges or completing a transfer.

What EWON does not do is act as a comparison or sign-up service. If your goal is simply to find a cheaper plan or choose a new retailer, you would use a comparison tool or go directly to retailers; EWON is for when something has gone wrong. The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) site also groups guidance under headings such as paying bills, ways to save, embedded networks, switching retailers, disconnection and managing your account.

A practical next step

Before contacting EWON, gather your account number, a record of when you first raised the issue with your provider, and any reference numbers or written responses. If you have not yet complained to the provider, do that first — it is the step EWON expects, and it often resolves the matter faster. If the provider has had a reasonable chance and the problem persists, you can lodge a complaint by calling 1800 246 545 or through the EWON website.