The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published a call for evidence on how switching service providers in a number of industries can be made quicker. The call for evidence is divided into three sections. The first section covers the consumer landscape in the energy, communications, water and transport sectors and seeks views on: (i) whether data on consumer complaints in these sectors can be made easier to access; and (ii) whether more can be done to get consumers their money back in these sectors when they have suffered detriment. The second and third part covers all sectors where consumers have choice in their providers and seeks evidence on whether more can be done to make switching quicker and easier and improve consumer choice.
Following the end of the call for evidence, BIS will assess responses and consider what changes to the consumer landscape and switching should be included in the Better Markets Bill later this year. The tailored review of the Consumer Council for Water is due to take place in 2019. The Government will need robust evidence to justify any changes in this sector before this date.
The deadline to the call for evidence responses is 23 June 2016.
View BIS publishes call for evidence on switching, 25 May 2016