Complaints to watchdog about water firms hit highest increase in 20 years

Household complaints about water companies to the sector watchdog have seen their largest-ever annual increase following the steepest hike in charges since privatisation.

Complaints to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) are up 84%, the biggest year-on-year rise in the watchdog’s 20-year history, it said.

Meanwhile, complaints made by households directly to water companies have also soared, by 56% on last year.

The increase has been primarily driven by growing concerns and confusion over rising charges, with complaints made to firms about billing increasing by 72% and those made to CCW up by 97%.

Source: CCW

Ofwat allowed water firms to put up bills by 36% between 2025 and 2030, with eye-watering increases seen in 2025 and another 5.4% on average from April this year.

Complaints to the CCW about the scale of the bill increases rose by 54%, while concerns around affordability shot up by 129%.

The figures suggest many households are looking for ways to manage rising costs, with complaints to the CCW from customers who are unable to have a water meter installed up by 464%.

Complaints from people facing debt recovery action also increased by 49%.

The CCW also assessed each company’s performance on the number of complaints it received for every 10,000 households it serves, and the amount of effort customers have to put in to get their complaint resolved.

Thames Water and South West Water rated ‘poor’ for both performance measures, making them the worst-performing companies.

Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water were the only companies to score ‘good’ in both metrics, retaining their position at the top of the rankings as the sector’s best performers.

Debt-laden Thames Water is one of five firms provisionally allowed to increase customer bills even further between 2027 and 2030, alongside Severn Trent Water, Southern Water, Wessex Water and South East Water.

Last month, Ofwat announced that it had given the suppliers the provisional go-ahead for an extra £3.4 billion in spending by the end of the decade to help upgrade networks to cope with new housing and data centres, and tackle so-called forever chemicals to ensure drinking water is safe and reliable.

It means the customers of those firms are set to see further unexpected hikes on top of those already in place since last April.

CCW chief executive Mike Keil said: “It’s deeply troubling to see such an unprecedented rise in complaints.

“These numbers reflect just how dissatisfied many people still are with the state of the water sector and the enormous task water companies face in rebuilding consumer trust.

“People have been hit with significant bill rises and are impatient to see the benefits where they live – whether that’s a more reliable service, cleaner rivers or effective and empathetic support when they are struggling to pay their bill.

“Companies need to be clear and open with their customers about how they are investing people’s money to deliver real improvements.”

A spokesman for Water UK, which represents firms, said: “We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.

“The vast majority of these complaints – 94% – are being dealt with at the earliest possible stage without the need for further involvement from the consumer body.

“The industry remains committed to improving communication with customers and showing clearly how their money is being used to deliver the improvements they expect.”

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said: “I completely share the frustrations voiced today. For too long, people have had to put up with rising water bills and unreliable services.

“This Government is firmly on the side of households, and we have already ringfenced customer money to ensure it is spent on fixing pipes and improving water quality, not dividends or bonuses.

“We’re fundamentally reforming the water sector to strengthen consumer protections, ensuring households receive value for money from every pound on their bill and the higher standards they rightly expect.”