EE Fined £1m By Regulator Ofcom

EE has been fined £1m for failing breaching rules regarding the handling of customer complaints.

An investigation my Ofcom found that from July 2011 to April 2014, EE did not provide its customers with "accurate or adequate information" about their right to take complaints to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. An ADR is an important part of consumer protection as it allows customers to refer complaints that cannot be resolved with their provider to an independent body, which can then reach an impartial judgment.

Ofcom said that EE should have informed its customers about this in writing, but it did not.

EE also failed to state in its Customer Complaints Code that, where relevant, customers could access its ADR scheme by requesting a 'deadlock letter'. Of the customers who had requested such a letter during this time, they were not sent them as required, and in some cases, customers were told by EE that letters of this type were not issued.

In addition, between July 2011 and February 2014, EE sent paper bills and written notifications to customers that did not reference that they can use its ADR scheme for free.

The investigation into EE is part of the regulator's wider programme looking at complaints handling by telecoms companies.

EE was fined £1m by Ofcom. It now has 20 days to pay the penalty, which will then be passed on the UK Treasury.

Claudio Pollack, Ofcom's Consumer and Content Group Director, said: "It's vital that customers can access all the information they need when they're pursuing a complaint. Ofcom imposes strict rules on how providers must handle complaints and treats any breach of these rules very seriously.

"The fine imposed against EE takes account of the serious failings that occurred in the company's complaints handling, and the extended period over which these took place."

EE has said the fine related to historic conduct.

(JP)