Weeks of arguing with a provider over an unfair cancellation charge or a line that never worked properly doesn't have to end with you paying court fees to get it resolved. There's a free arbitration route that's genuinely binding on the company — but the two sectors it covers now run on different clocks, and it's worth knowing which one applies to your case.
Two sectors, two different waiting periods — this recently changed
This is worth being precise about, since it's a recent change:
- Energy complaints: still 8 weeks from your first written complaint, unchanged.
- Broadband, mobile, and other communications complaints: reduced to 6 weeks as of 8 April 2026, but only for complaints first raised on or after that date — complaints raised earlier still follow the old 8-week rule.
In both sectors, a written "deadlock letter" from the provider lets you skip the wait entirely and escalate immediately.
What the Ombudsman actually is
Ombudsman Services (the Communications Ombudsman for telecoms, and the Energy Ombudsman for energy disputes) is free for consumers, funded by mandatory case fees paid by the companies themselves. It's an independent arbitration process — not a government body, but its decisions are binding on the company if you choose to accept them.
Building a case that actually gets a strong outcome
- A clear timeline — every date you contacted the company, what they said, and where they missed a promised deadline, with call reference numbers and copies of emails
- The financial impact, quantified specifically — not just "please fix the bill," but the exact overcharge amount, or the cost of lost work days from a broadband outage
- Any genuine distress and inconvenience caused — this is a real, recognised category the Ombudsman considers alongside the direct financial loss, though it's usually a modest addition (commonly in the range of £50-£250) rather than a large separate payout
How to file
- Confirm which scheme covers your case: Energy Ombudsman for gas/ electricity, or Communications Ombudsman/CISAS for broadband and mobile (check your provider's complaints policy to see which of the two telecoms schemes they belong to).
- Submit your complaint online through that scheme's portal, with your timeline and evidence attached.
- The company is given a set period to respond with their side.
- An independent adjudicator reviews everything and issues a decision. If you accept it, the company must carry out the ruling — typically within 28 days for energy cases.
See also: Ofgem's 12-month back-billing rule for shock catch-up bills, and free Citizens Advice help with energy bills and switching.