According to the charity, 32 per cent of people surveyed said that they had to spend over 30 minutes on the phone trying to sole their service issues.

Some 27 per cent who had contacted their supplier in the last year said that they were “dissatisfied” with how their call had been dealt with.

David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “It is vital that people are able to contact their providers effectively when they have queries or problems.”

However, the survey reveals that many firms have a “long way to go” before they are “effectively” responding to customers.

In related news, energy regulator Ofgem recently stated that npower needs to do more to help those among its customer base who are in debt.

Find out more about gas and electricity quotes

© Adfero Ltd