The Energy Ombudsman's dispute page for Switch 4 Business Ltd now shows the company as inactive, with a listed membership period running from 21 March 2025 to 31 December 20251. The page states that the Ombudsman cannot review disputes brought against the broker.
Switch 4 Business Ltd is described on the page as an energy broker rather than a supplier, and the Ombudsman's page carries the message that the broker "isn't signed up to our scheme, so unfortunately we can't review your dispute"1. The company's unique company number is given as 16239764 and its membership number as C35SWIT281.
"This Energy Broker isn't signed up to our scheme, so unfortunately we can't review your dispute."
The page adds that if a broker is currently trading, consumers should contact it directly to confirm its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider1. It does not state whether Switch 4 Business Ltd is still trading, and no reason for the change in membership status is given1.
The Ombudsman's standard process for disputes requires that a complaint has already been raised with the company, and that either a deadlock letter has been received or eight weeks have passed without resolution, before a case can be registered1. The page also asks consumers to confirm they have sufficient evidence, including the date the complaint was raised1.
Why it matters for households
The Energy Ombudsman is the body that can decide disputes between households and energy companies, but it can only take on cases against companies signed up to its scheme. Where a broker is listed as inactive, that route is closed, which leaves a household with a complaint about a broker's conduct, such as a mis-sold contract or an unresolved billing issue, without access to the Ombudsman's decision service1.
For a household, the practical effect is that the usual escalation path described in complaining about an energy supplier may not be available against this broker. The Ombudsman's page points instead to the broker's own ADR provider, which a household would need to identify directly1. The page does not name an alternative ADR provider for Switch 4 Business Ltd1.
Brokers sit between households and suppliers in the switching process, so a dispute with a broker can affect a switch or the terms of a contract a household believed it had agreed. The Ombudsman's page does not set out what happens to complaints already in progress, and this has not been reported1.
What happens next
The listed membership period ended on 31 December 20251. The page gives no further dated steps, and no statement on whether the company will rejoin the scheme has been published1. Households with an existing complaint against the broker would need to establish the company's current ADR arrangements, which the page says should be confirmed with the broker directly if it is trading1.
Sources1 cited
- Switch 4 Business Ltd Complaints: Raise a dispute | Energy Ombudsman, energyombudsman.org