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Accessibility
Energy Ombudsman is committed to ensuring that the information and services we make available is accessible to you, irrespective of any impairment that you may have. We have built into the site a number of features to make universal access possible. This page explains those features and includes simple instructions that can be applied to your browser settings to change the way you view our website. There are four main sections these are :
- Navigating around the site
- Features of the HTML code
- Changing text size, font colour and turning off images Accessing PDF documents
- Plain English
Navigating around the site
There are five main areas on the Energy Ombudsman site:
- the header and home page
- the top horizontal menu,
- the bottom horizontal menu,
- the main content area, and
- the footer.
The header is made up of the Energy Ombudsman logo and strap line - this is clickable on all pages - and will always take you back to the homepage.
Top horizontal menu is the main menu to take you to the main sections of the site. This is the area of the site where you can find out the information on how and when to use our service. Hover on these menu bars and the vertical drop down menus can be selected. You can navigate through the site at the end of each section. By clicking through the site this way you will be taken through the stages of our process. You can return to the homepage at any time by clicking on the header.
Bottom horizontal menu is the main menu to take you through the additional information sections of the site. This is the area of the site where you can find out more information on our service, such as frequently asked questions and our annual reports. Hover on these menu bars and the vertical drop down menus can be selected. You can navigate through the site at the end of each section. You can return to the home page by clicking on the header.
The footer contains three shortcut links to our Privacy Policy including Terms and Conditions on the use of the site, Translations (summaries of our service in frequently used languages) and the Site Map.
Underneath is the copyright information and above it a link to our corporate website www.ombudsman-services.org
There is a quick search facility on the home page of the site at the top right of the screen. You can put in your search term and if it's on the site the search should find it.
Features of the HTML code.
We have laid out all of the elements on the page in a logical order and all links make sense when read out of context. We have tried to reduce the amount of scrolling you will have to do by being concise. If you come across a page that you think is really too long we'd like to hear from you.
Changing text size, colour and turning off images.
Browser controls
We have coded our pages to make it easy to increase or decrease the size of the site's text using your browser's built-in controls.
You might find that some of the header graphics don't change in size but you should always be able to access alternative versions of these graphics by hovering over them to reveal a pop-up in Internet Explorer, or by right-clicking on them with your mouse and selecting Properties in most other browsers.
Changing your settings for Internet Explorer on a PC
- Font sizes
Select the 'Tools' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Internet Options' from the Tools menu.
- Click on the 'General' tab.
- Click on the 'Accessibility?' button.
- To change your font size, check the box marked 'Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages'
- Click on the 'OK' button on this tab and then on the 'OK' button on the Internet Options tab.
- Select the 'View' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Text Size' from the menu - another menu listing possible sizes will appear. Select the option that you require.
Font style
- Select the 'Tools' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Internet Options' from the Tools menu.
- Click on the 'General' tab.
- Click on the 'Fonts?' button.
- Change your font using the 'Web page font' drop down.
- Click on the 'OK' button on this tab and then on the 'OK' button on the Internet Options tab.
Font and Background colour
- Select the 'Tools' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Internet Options' from the Tools menu.
- Click on the 'General' tab.
- Click on the 'Colours?' button.
- Check the box next to 'Use Windows colours', allowing you access to change the colours yourself.
- Select your own Text, Background and link colours from those available
- . Click on the 'OK' button on this tab and then on the 'OK' button on the Internet Options tab.
Images
- Select the 'Tools' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Internet Options' from the Tools menu
- Click on the 'Advanced' tab.
- Scroll down the page until you reach the Multimedia category.
- Uncheck the box next to 'Show pictures'
- Click on the 'OK' button.
Changing your settings for Internet Explorer for Apple Mac
Font size and style
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the menu.
- Click on 'web content', under 'Web Browser', in the left-hand pane.
- Deselect the button marked 'show style sheets'.
- Select 'Language/Fonts', under 'Web Browser', in the left-hand pane.
- Select the font size and style you require.
- Click on 'OK' to close the popup.
Font, Background colour and Images
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Internet Explorer browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'web content', under 'Web Browser', in the left-hand pane.
- Ensure that the button marked 'show style sheets' is deselected.
- Select your own Text, Background and link colours from those available in the 'Page & Link' section.
- If you want your links to appear underlined then check the 'Underline links' box.
- To turn off pictures uncheck the box marked 'Show pictures' under 'Page Content'.
- Click on 'OK' to close the popup.
Change your settings for Netscape, Firefox or Mozilla on a PC. These instructions are based on Netscape 7.
Font Size and Style
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Appearance' in the 'Category' box on the left of the pop-up. Then select 'Fonts' from the Appearance menu.
- Change your font's size using the 'Size (pixels)' drop down on the right of the screen.
- Change your font face using one of the dropdown menus under the 'Typeface' title. In general Sans-serif fonts tend to be easier to read than Serif fonts. If you wish to choose a Serif font you need to set the 'Proportional' dropdown to 'Sans serif' before making your choice.
- Finally, uncheck the box entitled 'Allow documents to use other fonts'. This will force your browser to display pages in the style you have chosen.
- NB - you can use Netscape to ensure that fonts are never displayed in a size smaller than the minimum you can see. To do so, choose a font size from the 'Minimum font size' dropdown.
- Click OK within the pop-up and your page will change to reflect your settings.
Netscape also allows you to choose your font size using the 'View' menu. To use this facility follow these steps
- Select the 'View' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Text Zoom' from the View menu.
- The menu that appears allows you to select a percentage text size from a list, or simply to make your text smaller or larger. Choose your required option from those displayed. Keyboard shortcuts to increase or decrease text size
- decrease: Ctrl and -
- increase: Ctrl and +
Font and Background Colours
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Appearance' in the 'Category' box on the left of the pop-up. Then select 'Colours' from the Appearance menu.
- Choose the colours that you require from the 'Text and Background' and 'Link Colours' options by clicking on the colour boxes and choosing one of the available colours.
- Ensure that the 'Use system colours' box is unchecked.
- If you want your links to appear underlined then check the 'Underline links' box.
- Click on the radio button next to 'Use my chosen colours, ignoring the colours and background image specified'. This will force all pages to be displayed using your settings.
- Click OK within the pop-up and your page will change to reflect your settings.
Images
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Privacy & Security' in the 'Category' box on the left of the pop-up. Then select 'Images' from the Privacy and Security menu.
- To turn images off, click on the radio button next to 'Do not load any images'. To turn them on, click on 'Accept all images'
- Click OK within the pop-up and your page will change to reflect your settings.
Change your settings for Netscape or Mozilla on a Mac
Font Size and Style
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Appearance' in the 'Category' box on the left of the pop-up. Then select 'Fonts' from the Appearance menu.
- Change your font size using the 'Size (pixels)' drop down on the right of the screen.
- Change your font face using one of the dropdown menus under the 'Typeface' title. In general Sans-serif fonts tend to be easier to read than Serif fonts. If you wish to choose a Serif font you need to set the 'Proportional' dropdown to 'Sans serif' before making your choice.
- Finally, uncheck the box entitled 'Allow documents to use other fonts'. This will force your browser to display pages in the style you have chosen.
- Click OK within the pop-up and your page will change to reflect your settings.
Netscape also allows you to choose your font size using the 'View' menu. To use this facility follow these steps
- Select the 'View' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Text Size' from the View menu.
- The menu that appears allows you to select a percentage text size from a list, or simply to make your text smaller or larger. Choose your required option from those displayed.
- Keyboard shortcuts to increase or decrease text size
- decrease: Ctrl and -
- increase: Ctrl and +
Font and Background Colours
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Appearance' in the 'Category' box on the left of the pop-up. Then select 'Colours' from the Appearance menu.
- Choose the colours that you require from the 'Text and Background' and 'Link Colours' options by clicking on the colour boxes and choosing one of the available colours.
- Ensure that the 'Use system colours' box is unchecked.
- If you want your links to appear underlined then check the 'Underline links' box.
- Click on the radio button next to 'Use my chosen colours, ignoring the colours specified'. This will force all pages to be displayed using your settings.
- Click OK within the pop-up and your page will change to reflect your settings.
Images
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Netscape browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Privacy & Security' in the 'Category' box on the left of the pop-up. Then select 'Images' from the Privacy and Security menu.
- To turn images off, click on the radio button next to 'Do not load any images'. To turn them on, click on 'Accept all images'
- Click OK within the pop-up and your page will change to reflect your settings.
Change your settings for Opera on a PC these instructions are based on Opera 7.
- Font Size, Face, Colour, Style and Background colour
- Select the 'File' menu within your Opera browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the File menu.
- Click on 'Fonts and colours' in the box on the left of the pop-up.
- Opera gives you detailed facilities for changing the appearance of each type of text on your page. The most used styles are 'Normal' and 'Heading 1'. To change these, click on their entry in the 'My fonts and colours' scrolling box, and then click on the 'Choose' button to the right of the scrolling box. Select a font face, style, size and colour from the options available and click on 'OK'.
- TAKE NOTE - you can use Opera to ensure that fonts are never displayed in a size smaller than the minimum you can see. To do so, enter a font size into the 'Minimum font size [pixels]' box.
- To change the background colour of your page click on the 'Choose' button to the right of the 'Background colour' text. Choose a colour from those available and click on 'OK'.
- If you want to change how links appear within your page then click on the 'My link style?' button and make a selection from those available.
- When you are happy with all of your settings, click on 'Apply'. Review your page and if it appears as required click on 'OK'
Page size
- Opera offers an unusual feature that allows you to enlarge the size of your page as a whole. To use this facility, follow these steps
- Select the 'View' menu within your Opera browser.
- Select 'Zoom' from the File menu.
- Select your required zoom ratio from those offered. Images
- Select the 'File' menu within your Opera browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the File menu.
- Click on 'Multimedia' in the box on the left of the pop-up.
- To turn images off, click on the radio button next to 'Show no images'. To turn images on, click on 'Show images'.
Change your settings for Opera on a Mac
Font Size, Face, Colour, Style and Background colour
- Select the 'Edit' menu within your Opera browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the Edit menu.
- Click on 'Fonts and colours' in the box on the left of the pop-up.
- Opera gives you very detailed facilities for changing the appearance of each type of text on your page. The most used styles are 'Normal' and 'Heading 1'. To change these, click on their entry in the 'My fonts and colours' scrolling box, and then click on the 'Choose' button at the bottom of the scrolling box. Select a font face, style, size and colour from the options available and click on 'OK'.
- NB - you can use Opera to ensure that fonts are never displayed in a size smaller than the minimum you can see. To do so, enter a font size into the 'Minimum font size [pixels]' box.
- To change the background colour of your page click on the 'Background colour' box. Choose a colour from those available and click on 'OK'.
- If you want to change how links appear within your page then click on the 'My link style?' button and make a selection from those available.
- When you are happy with all of your settings, click on 'Apply'. Review your page and if it appears as required click on 'OK'
Images
- Select the 'File' menu within your Opera browser.
- Select 'Preferences' from the File menu.
- Click on 'Multimedia' in the box on the left of the pop-up.
- To turn images off, click on the radio button next to 'Show no images'. To turn images on, click on 'Show images'.
PDF documents
Files in this format will have the PDF symbol ** next to them. To view and print PDF files, you must have Adobe? Acrobat? Reader installed. To download this product for free please use the link below.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (opens new window)
If you cannot use Acrobat Reader to see these documents (for example, if you use screen reader software or an audio-enabled web browser), Adobe provide a free online tool which converts them to text.
To use this service, send the web address (URL) of the Adobe Acrobat document you want to read through the web form at Adobe Online Conversion Tools (opens new window)
The service will return the document to you as a web page (HTML) or as plain text. Alternatively you can choose to get it emailed to you as an attachment.
If you're having difficulty using Adobe let us know and we can send you a word document or plain text email
Plain English
One of the main criticisms of websites is that the language used can be difficult to understand. This website has been written in plain English to ensure users can understand the pages and get what they want from the site. There is also a plain English booklet "An independent view - making a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman" to accompany the site and it is available in the downloads section as regular and large print. The booklet sums up the main points on how to use our service and has been awarded a crystal mark by the Plain English Campaign
Remember ... If you're still finding it difficult to use our website or would like our literature in a different format for example large print, Braille or audio or in a language other that English, contact us and we will do our very best to help. If you're having difficulty viewing documents or our forms let us know. | 
