Guide / Manage problems and protect value
When the bill, data or energy service is wrong
Create one clear record of the problem, the evidence and the person responsible for resolving it. Separate supplier billing, adviser service and operational faults so each reaches the right route.
Establish what has gone wrong
Start with the facts the school can verify. Record the meter and account, invoice or event date, disputed item and amount, contract reference and the effect on the school. Attach the relevant bill, reading or service commitment through the school’s controlled record system. Keep the original document and a clear explanation of the query.
A wrong meter, estimated consumption, an unexpected rate and an undelivered adviser report need different investigations. Identify whether the school is querying the supplier’s charge, the TPI’s remuneration or service, or the operation of the building. Several parties may be involved, but assign one school coordinator so actions do not disappear between them.
Protect essential operations while the commercial issue is investigated. A billing dispute does not resolve a physical supply or safety problem. Follow the school’s established urgent-response arrangements for an actual interruption or hazard, especially where accommodation, food preparation or specialist provision is affected.
Reconcile the bill before asserting a saving
Compare the account and meter details with the verified supply register. Check the billed dates, readings, whether a reading is estimated, the consumption calculation and the price schedule. Identify fixed or variable components and obtain an explanation for changes. Review tax declarations with the appropriate finance or tax adviser when treatment is disputed.
Write down the correction requested and its basis. Ask the supplier to explain the disputed item in writing and specify what evidence is needed. If an adviser manages the query, retain the reference and communications in the school’s file. Set a follow-up date and record the amount still unresolved.
Keep a claimed recovery separate from a confirmed credit or repayment. A credit also needs reconciliation to the correct account and period. Check that later invoices do not repeat the issue. Avoid assuming that raising a dispute permits withholding every payment; obtain suitable advice on the contract and continue to manage undisputed obligations appropriately.
Use the complaints process that actually applies
Use the supplier’s published complaints route for a supplier problem and the adviser’s process for its service or fees. Request an escalation contact and a written record of the position. Retain dates, responses and any final-response or deadlock communication. Keep the question being asked specific enough for a reviewer to follow.
Check eligibility before promising external redress. In Great Britain, the Energy Ombudsman’s business routes have qualifying conditions, including criteria relevant to small businesses and participating providers. A school’s status needs to be assessed against the current rules. An independent school is not automatically eligible because it is a charity or has a limited budget. In Northern Ireland, use the supplier’s complaints process and, where needed, the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland route.
Where an eligible broker complaint is involved, confirm the relevant dispute-resolution scheme and membership. Ofgem’s July 2026 TPI guidance discusses complaints arrangements and qualifying dispute settlement for micro and small business customers. Keep that check distinct from any broader claim that a provider is endorsed or approved.
Resolve a service or data-access failure
For a missing report or visit, point to the agreed deliverable, due date and named provider. Ask for the cause, recovery plan and revised date. Assess whether the failure affects a forthcoming approval, statutory obligation or operational action. Escalate material gaps through the school’s contract-management process.
For missing interval data or account access, establish the owner of the account, the authority supplied, the system involved and the requested export. Keep school-owned copies of the meter list, contracts, bills and action records. When a staff member or adviser changes, arrange an orderly handover and review access permissions through approved procedures.
| Problem | First evidence | Practical resolution test |
|---|---|---|
| Unexpected charge | Invoice, live contract and charge schedule | Written explanation followed by a reconciled bill or confirmed correction |
| Unclear adviser fee | Appointment terms, fee disclosure and supplier offer | Reconciled basis, amount and treatment in the school comparison |
| Missing service output | Service schedule and due date | Delivered output reviewed against the agreed requirement |
| Lost data or account access | Authority, account ownership and access record | Authorised school access restored and continuity documented |
Close the issue with evidence
Record the outcome, any amount confirmed, remaining conditions and the person accepting closure. Keep lessons for the next service review or renewal. A repeated problem may justify a revised control, a contractual remedy or consideration of future appointment choices through the school’s governance process.
Your file should show what happened, who investigated, what changed and what remains open. An email saying the matter is “being looked at” is a progress update. The school needs the resulting bill, service output, access confirmation or other evidence before treating the work as complete.