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Complaints to water companies up almost 30%, says water watchdog

CONSUMER COUNCIL FOR WATER News Release (CCWater31/07) issued by The Government News Network on 31 October 2007

Almost 241,000 written complaints were made by customers to water and sewerage companies in 2006-07, an increase of nearly 30% compared with the previous year, the Consumer Council for Water announced today.

More than 109,000, nearly half, the complaints were about billing and charges and three companies accounted for 78% of these complaints: Thames Water, United Utilities and Severn Trent Water.

Complaints about water services (such as supply, quality and pipes) accounted for more than 15%.

Customers of Portsmouth Water, Yorkshire Water, Dee Valley Water, Folkestone and Dover Water and Tendring Hundred Water will be pleased to know that their suppliers consistently received the lowest numbers of complaints per 10,000 customers (see table).

Yve Buckland, National Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: "Water customers are becoming increasingly demanding of their companies. They see water companies making good profits and expect service, if not improving, then at the very least delivered to a good, consistent and reliable standard. They also want complaints dealt with 'right first time'.

"We will be pushing water companies to improve these figures and provide a much better level of customer service, comparable with the best in other service sectors."

The full report, called Complaint Handling in the Water Industry in England and Wales 2006-07, can be found on our website, http://www.ccwater.org.uk.

The report marks the first time the Consumer Council for Water has published information on written customer complaints received by water and sewerage companies.

Ends

Company                      2005-06   2006-07      Per 10,000
                                                          customers*
      Anglian                      18,986    16,645       59
      Bournemouth & West Hampshire 1,036     921          47
      Bristol                      1,803     2,685        54
      Cambridge                    396       465          37
      Dee Valley                   246       258          22
      Dwr Cymru Welsh Water        9,691     10,348       69
      Essex & Suffolk              3,177     4,048        52
      Folkestone & Dover           132       163          22
      Hartlepool                   44        88           20
      Mid Kent                     433       941          37
      Northumbrian                 7,064     7,449        60
      Portsmouth                   146       156          5
      Severn Trent                 36,239    68,874       166
      South East                   1,542     6,721        110
      Southern                     3,072     14,059       73
      South Staffordshire          3,186     2,825        51
      South West                   7,368     7,810        102
      Sutton & East Surrey         130       379          14
      Tendring Hundred             103       158          22
      Thames                       48,156    56,914       100
      Three Valleys                2,717     3,419        27
      United Utilities             29,842    24,193       74
      Wessex                       4,653     6,087        51
      Yorkshire                    5,304     5,193        23
      Total / Average              185,466   240,799      80 

Notes for editors

1. The Consumer Council for Water represents consumers in England and Wales.

2. The Consumer Council for Water is the statutory water consumer body, and operates as a non-departmental public body reporting to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government. It has a committee for Wales, and at local level it is supported by nine regional committees in England.

3. Our national website is http://www.ccwater.org.uk.

4. *Per 10,000 customers means one connection to one customer (bill payer).

5. Customer complaints about water and sewerage companies direct to the Consumer Council for Water itself also increased by 10% to more than 13,500 in 2006-07.

6. Water and sewerage companies report their written complaints to Ofwat in five categories: metering, water service, sewerage service, billing and charges, and other activities.

Public enquiries to the Consumer Council for Water's national number, 0845 039 2837, or email enquiries@ccwater.org.uk.

The Consumer Council for Water
Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham B2 4AJ