Consumer Affairs

Regulating to safeguard your interests

Consumer complaints

Any person or consumer may seek the ERB’s intervention if they are dissatisfied with the handling of their complaint by an energy utility or they consider the outcome inconclusive. The ERB receives, investigates and resolves consumer complaints using the Complaints Procedure channeled through letters, e-mails, telephone call or a consumer may visit the ERB offices. The ERB will not normally accept complaints from any person who has not exhausted the complaints procedures of the utility they have a dispute against. Below is a list outlining the types of complaints the ERB handles:

Billing Payment Issues:

Billing
Disconnect Notice
High Bill
Payment Arrangements
Service Termination
Deposit
Charges
Taxes/Surcharges

Quality of Service Issues:

Fuel Contamination
Meter Testing
New Service connection
Service outage
Trouble Report
Equipment
Service Interruption
Service/Personnel

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Energy Conservation TIps to save you money

We have put together a list of tips for conserving energy in your home, and therefore saving you money. Download the ful list of 69 tips, and in the meantime, here’s a few to get you started:

Turn the geyser thermostat down to a lower temperature. 60 degrees is recommended.
Use the shower rather than bathtub.
Let the sun shine in. Allow sunlight into your house or office and thereby eliminate the need to switch on the lights during day time.
Switch off the lights when no one is in the room.
Compare cooking times in a micro wave with the stove, oven, steam cooker or even charcoal and choose the most economical source. For example, if you are cooking several items, a microwave might not be economical.
When boiling water, boil only as much as you need and don’t fill the kettle with unnecessary water or keep the extra boiled water in a flask to use later.
Let hot foods cool before putting them in the fridge.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GET TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS AN ELECTRICITY CONSUMER

Charter aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring the obligations of the utility and the regulator are rightly stated. In order to enhance the quality of electricity services by ZESCO, ERB recognised the need to develop an Electricity Consumer Charter was developed after nationwide stakeholder consultations. Subsequently, the Charter was adopted and launched on 15th February 2007.

The charter is an embodiment of obligations and rights of parties and their promise and commitment to uphold and to respect such rights and obligations. It is not legally binding, but a pledge of trust and commitment among the regulator, utility and consumer. There are pros and cons to both legally and non-legally binding charters. However, for the purposes of consumer education and efficacy in Zambia, the non-legally binding strategy is being employed.

Will help to strengthen relationship with consumers & consumer bodies as it will help educate the public about the concept of paying for electricity. It will be a constant reminder of the customer care pledge.

CONSUMER Councils

The rationale for ERB establishing Consumer Councils is to extend the regulatory arm of the ERB to the grass root level in various communities in the country. The objectives are to ensure the following;

Improved communication between consumers and service providers;
Improved quality of services, particularly by speeding up the resolution of consumer complaints in line with the complaints procedures of ERB;
Speedy resolution of consumer complaints;
Creating awareness among consumers of their rights and responsibilities as well as the roles and functions of the service providers and the Regulator; and
Giving sufficient feedback on public opinion to the Regulator. This information should be adequate to enable regulation meet the requirements of a given area.

To aid the coordination process, these operational guidelines outline general procedures in managing the CWGs.