Regulation of utilities

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) protects the interests of customers who use gas, electricity and water services in Ireland.

The CRU’s main functions are to:

• Regulate the energy sector – ensuring a high standard of supply and promote competition.
• Regulate the water sector – monitoring the performance of Uisce Éireann (previously called Irish Water)
• Protect consumers – providing information, setting standards of services and codes of practices, and helping to resolve complaints.

The CRU regulates energy suppliers by monitoring the following areas:

• Electricity and gas retail prices-Checking the prices charged are fair and that there is a healthy level of competition.
• Market developments-Bringing new companies into the Irish market and making sure that large companies do not have too great a share of the retail market.
• Energy customer engagement-Checking that companies are not making it difficult to switch suppliers, are managing new connections and that contracts are fair and reasonable.
• Energy customer protection-Checking that energy companies are telling their customers when they are in arrears, and that companies have plans for helping customers who are in financial hardship. This also includes handling customer complaints.

The CRU is Uisce Éireann's economic regulator and works to make sure that Uisce Éireann is run efficiently. It has a role in the following areas:

• Revenue setting – It assesses and approves the revenue that Uisce Éireann can make over a certain period of time
• Reporting – Uisce Éireann must report to the CRU on its performance every 6 months
• Customer service – Ensuring that Uisce Éireann (previously called Irish Water) is following the guidance in its customer handbook.
• Approval of policy and charges – It approves policy and charges for:
  • Connecting customers to the public water and wastewater network
  • Excess water usage by Uisce Éireann customers (domestic and non-domestic) and regulates public water and wastewater charges.

The CRU has a role to make sure energy customers are protected and to promote competition. It does this by putting in place a rulebook called the Supplier Handbook. This requires suppliers to have codes of practices saying how they will deal with consumers. These codes cover the following areas:

• Billing
• Disconnections
• Customer sign-up
• Marketing and advertising
• Complaints handling
• Vulnerable customers
• Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and budget controllers
• Non-domestic customers

Suppliers must have Customer Charters in place setting out:

• Guaranteed service levels for customers
• Compensation and refund arrangements when service quality levels are not met

Every supplier must put its customer charter and codes on its website. You can find out more about customer protection.

Rules that Uisce Éireann must follow include:

• Providing you with at least 2 days’ notice in advance of planned interruptions to normal supply
• Communicating boil water notices and providing information for the reason and expected time it will be in place
• Providing you with at least 2 working days’ notice before installing a meter and providing information
• Responding to you within 2 working days if you report a fault on the network
• Responding to complaints within 5 working days with a resolution or an outline of the steps required to resolve the matter

You can find out more about Uisce Éireann consumer protection.

The CRU has customer care teams to help you if you are having issues with your energy supplier or network operator, or with Uisce Éireann. The CRU is an approved body for alternative dispute resolution.

You can learn more about complaining about utilities.