How to Lodge a Complaint with T&TEC and/or WASA – Regulated Industries Commission

As a consumer, you have the right to obtain a reasonable standard of service quality from the utility companies.

If you have a complaint, you must first make contact with the Service Provider (T&TEC or WASA) and give them the opportunity to resolve the problem.

How do I make contact with the Service Provider?

You can contact your Service Provider and explain that you wish to make a complaint in a number of ways:

In writing
In-person
By telephone
By email

All service providers have clear procedures for dealing with complaints and you should follow these as far as possible.

If you are contacting the Service Provider by telephone:

Make a note of what you want to say before you call;
Be clear about how you want the problem to be sorted out;
Have any relevant documents on hand – such as bills or letters from your service provider;
Have a notebook ready and write down the name of the person you speak to, the date and time of day and what was said; and
If you complain by phone, you should try to follow up your call with a letter, especially if your complaint is serious.

If you are complaining by letter or email or via the Internet:

Call your service provider and find out who you should address your complaint to;
Ensure you explain the problem fully in your letter including key dates and times of the incidents;
Enclose copies of evidence that support your complaint, such as receipts, letters, bills and photos, if possible;
Include your name, address and account number in your letter, so that your service provider can respond to you; and
Include a telephone number, if possible, so that your Service Provider can contact you for further information if required.

When making a complaint via writing:

Make copies of any document you send to your service provider. DO NOT send originals;
Take meter readings, particularly if your complaint concerns your billing or supply, make a note of the date the readings were taken;
Make notes of who you have spoken, or written to, and when, so that you can refer to them; and
Keep copies of correspondence sent to you by your Service Provider so that you can refer to them.

In addition to the information shared above, when writing a complaint letter, there are some other basic guidelines that you need to follow:

State the problem and provide information with respect to date, time, bill account number, etc.;
Explain the problem specifically e.g. “I was billed the wrong amount”;
Detail personal inconvenience experienced. E.g. injury, expense, distress, etc.; and
Identify the specific action you want e.g. credit, compensation, etc.

What to do if the Service Provider fails to resolve the complaint?

If your Service Provider fails to resolve the complaint within a reasonable time-frame or within the time-frame stipulated in the Quality of Service Standard for T&TEC,

or if you are not satisfied with the action the Service Provider has taken regarding your complaint, you can contact the RIC for further assistance in resolving your complaint.

Please also see RIC’s How to Make a Complaint Brochure.

Telephone: 800-4RIC (4742) – Toll-Free
Fax: 624-2027
Email: complaints@ric.org.tt
Online Complaints Form
Website: www.ric.org.tt
Post: P.O. Box 1001
Address: #88 Queen Janelle Commissiong Street, Port-of-Spain, 100624

The Service Providers can be contacted during the hours of 8:00 am – 4:00 pm on:

800-4420/6- WASA
800-8832 – T&TEC