The Consumer Council for Water reported a significant increase in household complaints during the most recent reporting period, marking the largest annual rise in the organization’s 20-year history. The watchdog received 15,115 complaints compared to 8,235 the previous year, while complaints made directly to water companies before escalation rose 56% to 321,347. Customer dissatisfaction centered primarily on measured billing, affordability, and billing administration issues.
Water customers in England and Wales have faced substantial price increases in recent years. Regulatory approval for bill hikes of 36% between 2025 and 2030 was granted by Ofwat, with recent monthly decisions approving increases for 13 companies to address infrastructure and environmental pressures. Thames Water experienced a 31% customer bill rise in 2024, though increases moderated to 3.4% subsequently. South West Water also confronted significant customer service challenges regarding bill clarity and complaint resolution.
Performance assessments varied across the sector. Thames Water and South West Water each received “poor” ratings based on complaint volumes per 10,000 households and customer effort required for resolution. Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water achieved “good” scores on both metrics, maintaining their positions as sector leaders. Water UK stated that 94% of complaints were resolved at the initial stage without further watchdog involvement.
Industry representatives defended the rate increases as necessary for infrastructure modernization and environmental improvements. Water company officials committed to enhanced communication with customers and clearer explanations of how billing increases translate to service improvements. Thames Water announced a bill redesign program to improve clarity, while South West Water indicated efforts to reduce repeat customer contacts and ensure timely communication.
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