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- The implementation of smart water meters is just one of the reasons why consumer complaints are increasing
Unresolved household complaints to water companies have skyrocketed, and water meters and contaminated water are to blame.
The number of complaints submitted to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) in 2023/24 increased by 29 per cent, the highest level in almost a decade.
Thames Water was the worst water company for complaints, followed by Yorkshire Water and Cambridge Water.
The CCW intervenes when consumers cannot resolve their complaints directly with their water company.
Boiling point: Many consumers turned to the water regulator over complaints from water companies
The rise was driven by complaints about bills, water meters and the pollution crisis that has seen water companies heavily criticized for the impure nature of many rivers and seas.
In 2023/24 there were 222,956 complaints about water companies, of which 57 per cent concerned the accuracy of water bills and 7,997 concerned the CCW.
Complaints about water meters increased by 30 percent and included problems with meter reading accuracy and faulty meters.
The CCW said: “The CCW finds this worrying because, in the coming years, more and more homes will be equipped with water meters.”
Most water companies are planning a large rollout of smart meters in the coming years.
Current plans are for 48 percent of homes to be equipped with a smart meter by 2030.
All water companies in England and Wales, except South West Water and Southern Water, generated more billing complaints than last year.
Many households complained about water companies’ environmental performance, such as storm overflows and sewage spills into waterways.
However, the CCW stated that “the strength of people’s feelings about the responsibility of water companies for polluting the environment does not directly correlate with the actual performance of their water companies in this area.”
CCW chief executive Mike Keil said: “Households are having to waste too much time and energy resolving complaints, something water companies should do right the first time.”
‘Trust in the water sector is already badly fractured and mishandling of complaints will only compound people’s frustration.
“We are particularly concerned to see a significant increase in complaints from customers with water meters questioning the accuracy of their bill.”
David Bird, retail director at Thames Water, said: “We are committed to improving our customers’ experience and have been working closely with CCW to address these issues.
‘CCW has recognized the collaborative approach we have taken and that the improvements we are making are promising. However, we recognize that we have more to do.
“Our recovery plan focuses on resolving customer complaints and improving the quality of their interaction with our business, from first contact to resolution.”
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