The legal bits

1. Introduction

This policy outlines OVO Energy’s approach to identifying, managing, and responding to Unacceptable Customer Behaviour (UCB) where such behaviour impacts staff wellbeing or the integrity of OVO Energy’s operations.

At OVO Energy we are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and professional environment for our employees, contractors, and partners. This policy sets clear expectations about UCB when engaging with OVO Energy. We do not tolerate abuse, threats, or unreasonable behaviour. Where such behaviour occurs, we will take appropriate action to protect their safety and wellbeing.

This policy applies to all individuals - including customers, visitors, and third parties - who engage with OVO Energy. It covers interactions across all communication channels, including phone, email, live chat, post, social media, in-person interactions, and engagement with external stakeholders whether at our premises, your premises, or through any other means.

Our approach is guided by our legal and regulatory obligations and our commitment to treating everyone with dignity and respect and providing a safe working environment.

Any steps we take under this policy relate only to how you contact us. They do not affect your customer protections or entitlements.

2. What is Unacceptable Customer Behaviour?

While most interactions are appropriate, UCB may arise from a single serious incident, or through repeated or persistent behaviour that may be abusive, threatening, unreasonable, inappropriate or excessive. Where customers behave in these ways, OVO Energy may consider the conduct to be UCB and respond in accordance with this policy.

2.1 Defining Unacceptable Customer Behaviour

UCB refers to behaviour that, due to its nature or frequency, poses substantial risks to health, safety, wellbeing, or undermines fairness in service delivery by placing unreasonable demands on operational resources. This includes impacts on our staff, contractors, other service users, the organisation, or the individuals themselves.

The examples below in section 2.2 describe behaviours OVO Energy may consider UCB. This list is not exhaustive.

2.2 Examples of Unacceptable Customer Behaviour

UCB may include, but is not limited to, the following:

Abusive, aggressive or threatening behaviour:

• Aggressive, intimidating, harassing, or offensive language or behaviour, whether verbal or written, including derogatory remarks.

• Threats of harm or violence, including threats directed at OVO Energy staff, contractors, or third parties.

• Rude, confronting, or threatening correspondence.

• Behaviour intended to manipulate, intimidate, or place undue pressure on OVO Energy staff, contractors, or third parties.

Behaviour relating to complaints and dispute resolution:

• Repeated complaints about the same issue after it has been reasonably addressed or finalised through OVO Energy’s Complaints and Dispute Resolution processes.

• Repeated correspondence to the CEO or members of OVO Energy’s senior leadership in relation to the same complaint or issue.

• Aggression, abuse or threats in relation to a decision or recommendation we have made relating to complaints or enquiries, noting our avenues for complaint handling.

• Deliberately providing false or misleading information.

• Making repeated or unsubstantiated complaints or complaints without genuine basis.

• Unreasonable persistence with issues that have already been fairly addressed and in line with our complaints process.

• Using complaints processes to harass, intimidate, or disrupt staff.

Unreasonable demands or expectations

• Excessive or unwarranted contact via phone, email, written correspondence, or social media.

• Excessive or unwarranted contact that disrupts our ability to assist you or other customers.

• Issuing instructions or making demands about how a complaint or enquiry should be handled, the priority it should be given, or the outcome to be achieved.

• Insisting on speaking with a senior manager or Chief Executive Officer personally, where it has been carefully explained why this is not appropriate or warranted.

• Insisting on outcomes that are not possible or appropriate in the circumstances, for example requesting disciplinary action against staff, prosecution, an apology or compensation where there is no reasonable basis.

• Demanding services of a nature or scale that we cannot provide, even after this has been explained repeatedly.

2.3 Vexatious Behaviour

Vexatious behaviour is a term used to describe a pattern of UCB that is unreasonable, persistent, or lacks a genuine basis.

It may arise where a customer repeatedly pursues matters that have been reasonably addressed, relodges complaints without materially new information, or uses complaints or enquiry processes to harass, intimidate, or disrupt staff.

Vexatious behaviour may also include an unwillingness or inability to accept reasonable and logical explanations or decisions. This can include situations where arguments:

• Fail to follow a logical sequence that the customer is able to explain to staff.

• Are not supported by evidence or are based on conspiracy theories.

• Reject all valid or contrary explanations.

• Are trivial when compared to the time, resources, and attention demanded.

• Are false, inflammatory, or defamatory.

Vexatious behaviour may develop over time and will be assessed in the context of the customer’s behaviour and engagement with OVO Energy.

3. Consequences of Unacceptable Behaviour

Where UCB occurs, OVO Energy may take steps to protect the safety and wellbeing of our employees, partners, and contractors. Depending on the circumstances, actions may include:

• Termination of communication in progress with a customer.

• Restricting how a customer can make contact by limiting or modifying the forms of contact that the customer can have with us. This can include modifying or limiting telephone and written communications, requiring contact through a representative only, taking no further action or terminating our services altogether where we are entitled to do so.

• Restricting with whom a customer may have contact – for example, limiting a customer to a sole contact person or team in our organisation, redirecting or routing correspondence sent to the organisation or members of its staff.

• Limiting contact timing, duration and frequency with us – for example, by limiting contact with our organisation to a particular time, day, or length of time, or curbing the frequency of their contact with us.

• Limiting what matters a customer can raise with us – for example, restricting the subject matter of communications that we will consider and respond to.

• In serious cases, the escalation of your matter to regulatory bodies, legal representatives, and law enforcement agencies.

These steps are designed to maintain a safe and respectful environment for everyone while ensuring we can continue to assist you and other customers.

OVO Energy reserves the right to cease engagement where correspondence is unreasonable, unlawful or outside the scope of regulated service delivery.

3.1 Access to Essential Support during contract restrictions

Where contact has been limited due to UCB we will inform you in writing of the alternative contact options and channels available. Within the scope of any restrictions, and as required by laws or regulations, you may continue to access:

• Support for affordability concerns, including payment assistance and hardship options.

• Assistance for life support, concessions, and family and domestic violence.

• Assistance where you are off supply, including connection, reconnection, or safety concerns.

• OVO Energy’s complaints and dispute resolution processes for complaints that are new, in progress, or where OVO Energy has not yet reached a decision.

• Access to external Ombudsman schemes.

Where OVO Energy has completed a reasonable investigation of a complaint and advised that our internal complaints process is complete, the customer retains the right to escalate the matter to the relevant external Ombudsman scheme.