Complaints Handling Process

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How we listen to, manage and resolve customer complaints. Version 1.0 — effective 1 July 2026.

1–2. Introduction & What is a Complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction or a grievance about Relay Energy — it gives us the opportunity to identify and address issues we may be unaware of. As our customer or former customer, you have the right to make a complaint. Our goal is to keep customers satisfied and deal with complaints openly, fairly and promptly. Our complaints process is approved by our Board, who is responsible for its implementation, operation and compliance with the applicable Rules and Guidelines. In dealing with you about complaints, we use everyday language.

3–5. Resolving Complaints

A complaint is resolved when it's brought to a conclusion in accordance with the Rules and Guidelines (whether or not in your favour). When we propose a resolution, we're suggesting how to solve your complaint — we aren't required to action it unless you accept it. Once your complaint is resolved, we'll advise you accordingly.

5. Actioning a Resolution

We will action an agreed resolution within 10 business days of you accepting it (or 2 business days for an urgent complaint), unless we agree otherwise with you, or you have not done something that is necessary for us to do our part.

6–7. Accessing Our Complaints Process

You can call our Customer Care number below — a free or low-cost number if you call using a service we provide. You can make a complaint by letter, telephone, online, or email (details below), or in person if we sell through stores.

8. If You Need Assistance

We'll help you formulate, lodge and progress a complaint if you need it — especially for reasons of disability, hardship, or difficulties with English. Let our Customer Care staff know, or write/email your request, or contact us through your Authorised Representative or Advocate. An "Authorised Representative" is someone you've appointed with some authority over your account; an "Advocate" is someone you've appointed without account authority. You can make a complaint through either.

9–10. Response Times & Acknowledgment

We're committed to certain maximum response times. If you complain in person or by phone to a live staff member, we'll acknowledge it immediately; otherwise (email, website, post, or voicemail), we'll respond no later than the next business day. When we acknowledge your complaint, we'll give you a unique Case Reference, an indicative resolution timeframe, and information on how to obtain this Complaints Handling Process summary.

11–12. Resolution

Whenever possible, we'll resolve your complaint on first contact. If we don't believe we can resolve it within 10 business days (2 for an urgent complaint), we'll tell you why there's a delay, what timeframe applies, and — if resolution is expected to take more than 9 further business days — your options for external dispute resolution (except where the delay is due to a declared mass service disruption). Otherwise, we'll propose a resolution within 10 business days (2 for urgent).

13–14. Prioritisation & Escalation

In normal circumstances, urgent complaints get highest priority, followed by complaints involving customers with significant health problems, care of young children, remote locations, or age, then complaints approaching or exceeding maximum response times. We can only account for these factors if you tell us. We have an internal escalation process — your complaint will be escalated and managed accordingly if you request it, or automatically if a maximum response time is exceeded, it becomes urgent, or you notify us of a factor increasing its seriousness.

15. Appropriate Resolution

We'll resolve your complaint appropriately: our Customer Care staff are trained to understand available remedies, any remedy is tailored to the root cause and your circumstances, management monitors complaints for wider issues, and we resolve billing errors in current bills. We'll advise you of the resolution as soon as practicable. We won't take credit management action over a disputed amount that's under investigation by us, the Ombudsman, or another recognised third party, and won't start legal proceedings over a matter subject to complaint while we're handling it, or within 7 business days after we advise you of the outcome.

16–18. Urgent Complaints & Delays

A complaint is urgent if you're in financial hardship under our Hardship Policy and the complaint's subject matter contributes to or aggravates that hardship; disconnection is imminent or has occurred without due process; or you're a Priority Assistance Customer and the complaint relates to that service. Our staff are trained to watch for these factors and must flag a complaint as urgent if any apply. Within 2 business days of acknowledging an urgent complaint, we'll propose a resolution or explain any delay — and action the urgent aspects within those 2 days if you accept our proposal. We'll advise you of any delays to promised timeframes.

19–21. Monitoring, Closing & Consumer Focus

You can monitor your complaint's progress by calling Customer Care and quoting your Case Reference. We only close a complaint if you agree. We aim to keep our process easy to use and focused on you — you can leave feedback with our Customer Care staff, their supervisor, or via any contact channel below.

22–23. Dispute Resolution & External Options

If Customer Care can't resolve your concerns, ask to speak to a team leader or Customer Advocate, who will review and work with you — we aim to resolve within 10 business days of you raising it. If it remains unresolved after our process, you can lodge a complaint with the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) — an office of last resort for complaints not yet resolved directly with us. Other external bodies that may assist: the Office of Fair Trading (NSW Fair Trading), the ACCC for Australian Consumer Law matters (accc.gov.au), and the OAIC for privacy issues (oaic.gov.au).

24–25. Service Continuity & Compliance

If you make a complaint that hasn't been resolved and you pursue external dispute resolution, we won't cancel your service for those reasons alone. All Relay Energy staff must adhere to this policy — a violation is treated as a serious compliance breach subject to disciplinary action.

26. Contact Details

27. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed every two years by the Relay Energy Compliance Manager to ensure it meets the requirements of Australian Standard ISO 10002 (2006) Complaint Handling.

This document is derived from Relay Energy's standard complaint handling process template and does not constitute legal advice.