UKHospitality is leading a rallying call for the sector to support its asks for Ofgem to rapidly implement the recommendations from its energy market review.
With energy costs continuing to act as the single most destructive inflationary pressure facing businesses, hospitality needs to unite to demonstrate the urgent need for Ofgem to move swiftly in enacting its recommendations.
Hospitality businesses can show their support for swift action and back our calls by responding to the Ofgem consultation here.
In order to enact meaningful change within the energy market, UKHospitality is urging Ofgem to:
1. Encourage suppliers to resolve issues many businesses are facing with high energy contracts, including direct and immediate communication to suppliers from Ofgem.
2. Offer greater transparency to customers, deliver more timely responses to complaints and drive better practice in setting deemed rates.
3. Deliver wider access to the energy ombudsman.
4. Put in place measures to prevent the blacklisting of entire sectors, particularly hospitality.
5. Improve regulation of energy brokers, including extending protections to more businesses.
UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls, said:
“Sky-high energy costs have decimated so many hospitality businesses, including those suffering from contracts fixed at prices far above current market rates.
“The Ofgem review last week was crystal clear that many of the issues facing businesses lie at the door of the energy suppliers. Whether it is refusing to renegotiate contracts, demanding enormous deposits, or simply refusing to supply the sector, it’s clear that some energy suppliers are mistreating the sector.
“That review also laid out a number of important recommendations to clean up the energy market, in particular strongly encouraging suppliers to renegotiate contracts.
“This consultation is an opportunity for the sector to unite and demonstrate the strength of feeling that Ofgem needs to take action urgently. Businesses cannot withstand inaction any longer and the market needs to be urgently fixed.
“I would urge every business and person working within hospitality to back our #FiveAsksForOfgem and respond to the consultation. Your voice is essential.”
