Billing and charges problems cause steep rise in complaints about water companies
Posted: Thursday 17th May 2007
Complaints about water companies to the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) totalled 13,603 across England and Wales in 2006-07, according to the organisation’s annual complaint figures published recently. CCWater also received 44,503 enquiries during the period. Complaints received between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007 are 10% up on the equivalent 12 months in 2005-06, with enquiries up by 20%.
The spotlight falls on four companies which saw sharp complaints increases during the year; Severn Trent Water, South East Water, Southern Water and United Utilities. All four found consumer complaints surging as a result of problems with billing systems. Complaints about other water and sewerage companies remained stable or fell slightly. Across England and Wales, billing and charges formed easily the greatest cause of complaint, with 49% of all complaints to CCWater falling into those two categories.
The four companies seeing the highest rises showed the following increases in complaints to CCWater:
- 700 ( or 36%) in complaints about Severn Trent, up from 1,952 to 2,652;
- 366 (19%) in complaints about United Utilities, up from 1,959 to 2,325;
- 267 (52%) in complaints about Southern Water, up from 510 to 777;
- 188 (74%) in complaints about South East Water, from 253 to 441.
At the other end of the scale, there was good news for customers in the South West; complaints about South West Water fell by 15% (from 925 to 789), about Wessex Water by 13% (from 257 to 224), and Bristol Water by 35% (from 177 to 115). Complaints about Thames Water fell by 9% (from 2,822 to 2,562). However, South West Water still attracted the most complaints as a proportion of its customer base.
Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “We have a right as consumers to expect high quality customer service - even though water companies are monopolies, and therefore most consumers have absolutely no choice over their supplier.
“Water companies cannot be complacent and should strive not only to satisfy customers’ expectations, but exceed them.
“It is particularly disappointing to find some companies, for the second consecutive year, tripping up when they have introduced basic billing systems – causing customers great concern. In some cases these problems are compounded when customers cannot even reach their company’s staff on the phone to complain.”
Customers are turning in increasing numbers to the Consumer Council for Water. The number of customers coming to us for help has risen by 20% over the year, and we have helped customers get a total of £1.39 million in compensation from the companies.
Dame Yve added: “But the majority of customers want their services right first time. Water companies need to review why complaints have risen and take meaningful action to satisfy – and ideally, delight – their customers. In the long run there should also be more levers and incentives in the regulatory system to stimulate innovation by water companies which can help to make this ideal situation happen, particularly in the area of customer service.”
