Qld ombudsman secures $1.1m compensation

Queenslanders who complained about their water and energy bills have been handed a record of $1.1 million in compensation in the 2014/15 financial year.

The latest report by the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland shows the office secured almost 250 adjustments to bills worth more than $400,000, along with hundreds of goodwill gestures, payment plans and debt waivers.

But the number of complaints actually fell by 21 per cent, which suggests the office has been used to resolve more complex cases, Ombudsman Forbes Smith says.

"We believe that electricity retailers have improved the way in which they deal with customer complaints at the front line, which is a welcome development, as it is in a customer's best interest to have their complaint dealt with by the retailer from the beginning," he said.

The ombudsman closed 11,049 cases in 2014/15. Most related to electricity, which was the subject of 9500 complaints.

Almost all complaint categories fell, with one exception - customer service - which increased by eight per cent.

This was the result of one retailer's failure to pay solar bonus refunds, Mr Smith said.