Water company complaints

Lawyer Gary Rycroft sitting in the Morning Live studio on the velvet green sofa, wearing a green and blue patterned jumper, a blue shirt and a green tie, smiling.

Water company complaints

What can people do if they are not happy with their water company?

  • For most people, there isn't a huge amount they can do individually to avoid their water company's performance issues because, unlike energy suppliers, you generally cannot switch water provider.

However, there are a few things you can do:

  • Check your bills and future changes. If Ofwat's proposals go ahead, any reductions or increases should be reflected automatically in bills from April 2027. You won't normally need to apply for a refund, it should all be reflected in your bill.

  • Complain directly to your water company if you experience problems such as leaks, supply interruptions, low water pressure, poor customer service, or sewage incidents. Explain to your water company what went wrong and then give the company an opportunity to put things right. If they don't respond within 10 working days, you may be entitled to a payment under what is called the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS).

  • The Consumer Council for Water (CCW), the independent body that represents water consumers in England and Wales, has a helpful complaint letter tool on its website which can help customers write their first stage complaint. - Click here to see that

  • If you're unhappy with your water company's response to your complaint, ask them to move your complaint to stage two. They'll review it again and respond within another 10 working days.

  • Escalate unresolved complaints to CCW. If you remain unhappy at this stage you can bring your complaint to CCW. Keep hold of any evidence that supports your complaint, such as emails, bills or notes from calls. CCW will review your case independently and let you know if it feels more can be done to put things right. CCW can't help with every type of complaint. It's worth noting that CCW can't help with complaints relating to water companies' wider failure to meet performance targets.

  • Report pollution incidents to the Environment Agency in England or Natural Resources Wales if you witness sewage spills or pollution affecting rivers, beaches or waterways.

  • Apply for affordability schemes if you are struggling with rising bills. Many water companies offer social tariffs, payment plans, or support for vulnerable customers.

What can the CCW get involved in?

Customer service:

Many people contact because of how they were treated rather than the original issue. This might include:

  • missed or cancelled appointments

  • poor staff attitude

  • poor, misleading or unclear advice

  • difficulty contacting the company

  • complaints or queries not being answered

  • incorrect information being given

  • problems with refunds, goodwill or compensation payments

  • Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) payment issues

  • delays with operational issues such as meter installation

Billing:

You can contact if you're unhappy with how your bill has been worked out or explained. This might include:

  • disputes about measured (metered) or unmeasured bills

  • bills based on estimated readings

  • bills that do not match how much water is used

  • sudden or unexpected increases in charges

  • too many or too few meter readings

An allowance is a reduction or adjustment to a bill in certain situations, for example after a leak or where help is needed with paying bills.

You can contact if you're unhappy with decisions about:

  • leakage allowance

  • social tariff or affordability support

  • surface water or highway drainage charge reductions

  • non-return to sewer charge adjustments

You can contact if you're concerned about:

  • backdated or catch-up bills leading to debt

  • how debt recovery has been handled

  • use of credit reference agencies or credit markers

  • poor or unclear communication about unpaid bills

  • threats of disconnection for unpaid bills (applies to business customers only)

Water companies can't disconnect household customers for unpaid water bills. We can take a look at cases where disconnection has been threatened or wrongly suggested. Different rules apply to business customers.

Water services:

There are two main types of water supply problems:

  • Planned interruptions: This is where work is scheduled in advanced. Your water company should tell you before the water is turned off. They can look at cases where you were not given enough notice or where your water was not restored by the time you were told it would be.

  • Unplanned interruptions: This happens during emergencies, such as burst pipes. They can look at cases where the water was off for too long or where you did not get enough information or support while it was off.

Water supply interruptions are covered by the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS). This sets out what you can expect from your water company and when you may be entitled to compensation.

Waterwaste (sewers and drains):

You can contact if you're unhappy with how a sewer or drainage problem was handled. This might include:

  • external flooding to gardens or driveways

  • internal flooding inside the home

  • blocked sewer pipes affecting toilets or drains

  • delays in cleaning up after flooding

  • odours or noise from sewage treatment works

Any damage claims should go through your home insurance.