Complaints Process

We’re sorry if something’s not right. We want to make it easy for you to talk to us about the service you’ve received. If you have a query, complaint or feedback,
please get in touch and we’ll do our best to help you.

We want to do all we can to put things right as quickly as possible. There are 3 stages to how we'll manage your complaint.

Stage 1

The first thing to do is speak to us. If you have a complaint, the easiest way to get it resolved is to call us and speak to one of our friendly team. If we’re unable to deal with your matter when you first contact us or we need to do further investigation, we’ll aim to respond to you within 5 working days of receiving your call. Sometimes it can take us longer, but we will let
you know if this is the case.

Stage 2

If you’re unhappy with our response, please call us so we can discuss the matter further.
We’ll escalate your complaint to someone who has not been involved and they will carry out a new review into the matter raised. In the unlikely event that we’ve been unable to resolve the matter, you have the option of progressing to stage 3.

Stage 3

If you feel your matter hasn’t been resolved following stages 1 and 2, or we’re unable to resolve your complaint within 8 weeks, you may then refer your matter to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW). CCW are the independent body that represents customer interests and investigates complaints against all water companies.

CCW can be contacted by:

Write to them: The Consumer Council for Water, 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH

Call them on: 0300 034 2222

Visit their website: ccwater.org.uk.

Ofwat is the economic regulator of the water industry in England and Wales. If you're dissatisfied by our response to your complaint and the Consumer Council for Water are unable to help, you may wish to contact Ofwat. They handle complaints relating to the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Competition Act 1998.

Once they've accepted a dispute they will conduct a formal investigation and we must abide by the outcome.

Write to them: Ofwat, Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UA.

Call them on: 0121 644 7500.

Visit their website: ofwat.gov.uk.

Here's a list of the type of disputes Ofwat will get involved in. It also indicates when an arbitrator needs to be involved.

Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS)

Any dispute about a failure to meet the standards.

Conditions for water mains requisition

Any dispute about the amount we require you to pay; or the undertakings or securities we expect you to give, extending the 3 months time limit for us to provide a water main; or about where your water pipe should be connected to the main.

Adoption of sewers

Any appeal against our refusal or decision to adopt sewers, new lateral drains, or our technical requirements for construction of such sewers.

Connections to water mains

Any dispute about the amount we require you to pay for connection to our water main, or securities we require you to give before we’ll carry out the work.

Refusal to allow a customer to pay by metered charges

Where it isn’t practical or unreasonably expensive for us to install a water meter.

Water meter installation

Any dispute about our conditions for the installation of a water meter on new connections.

Separate supply pipes

Any dispute about our requirement for separate water supply pipes to separately occupied premises.

Power to lay a pipe on private land

Any dispute about our intention to lay a pipe on private land.

Concern about licence conditions

Any concerns that we are allegedly breaking our licence conditions or our main water supply duties.

Anti competitive behaviour

Any complaints about our behaviour under the Competition Act 1998.

Conditions for sewer or lateral drain requisitions

Any dispute about the amount we require you to pay; or the undertakings or securities we expect you to give; or about extending the 6 months time limit for us to provide a public sewer or lateral drain; or about where your private drain or sewer should connect with the public sewer.

Adoption of sewers

Any appeal against our refusal or decision to adopt sewers, new lateral drains, or our technical requirements for construction of such sewers.

Connection to public sewers

Any dispute about our refusal to allow a connection; or our request to have a drain or sewer opened before agreeing to the connection; or the amount we require you to pay; or the securities we expect you to give before the connection is made.

Power to close and restrict use of a public sewer and to provide a replacement drain or private sewer

Any dispute about the effectiveness of a replacement sewer; or the position or sufficiency of a drain or sewer we propose to provide in place of an existing and inadequate system.

Arbitration

Under the Water Industry Act 1991 some disputes between you and us may have to be decided by an arbitrator. We’ll have to agree who will be the arbitrator, but if we can’t agree, the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) or Ofwat can appoint an arbitrator.

For further details on arbitration you may find the following websites useful:

ciarb.org.uk
(Chartered Institute of Arbitration)

adviceguide.org.uk

Legal proceedings

The Water Industry Act 1991 also gives you the right, in certain circumstances, to take legal proceedings against us for any loss or damage caused to you by our failure to comply with our duties under the Act.

Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) is the drinking water regulator for England and Wales. It’s objective is to maintain public confidence in the safety and quality of public water supplies.

If you are concerned about the quality of the water we supply you, please contact us on 03457 145 145.

We can check that plumbing arrangements are correct and comply with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 and where necessary arrange for water quality tests to be done. If you do not feel that we dealt with your water quality concerns appropriately you can ask the DWI to look into the matter on your behalf. Contact the DWI:

Write to them at: Drinking Water Inspectorate, Area 7E, 9 Millbank, c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR.

Call them on: 0300 068 6400.

Email them at: dwi.enquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Visit their website: dwi.gov.uk.

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