Water Company Complaints Surge 84% Amidst Rising Bills

Complaints from households to the UK's water industry watchdog have surged by a record 84% over the past year, reaching 15,115 in 2025-26, according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW). This significant increase, the highest in the watchdog's 20-year history, is largely driven by customer dissatisfaction and confusion surrounding rising water bills. In the same period, direct complaints to water companies themselves also climbed by 56% to 321,347.

The primary reasons for customer grievances to the CCW were measured billing, affordability concerns, and billing administration issues. Mike Keil, chief executive of the CCW, stated that these figures underscore the widespread dissatisfaction within the water sector and that customers are eager to see tangible improvements resulting from the increased charges.

Water customers in England and Wales have experienced substantial price hikes in recent years. The regulator, Ofwat, has permitted companies to increase bills by up to 36% between 2025 and 2030 to fund necessary infrastructure upgrades. Water UK, the industry's representative body, acknowledged that bill increases are unwelcome but emphasized that the funds are crucial for vital upgrades to secure water supplies, support economic growth, and address environmental concerns like sewage in rivers and seas.

Ofwat recently approved bill increases for 13 water companies to address infrastructure and environmental pressures. Five of these, including Thames Water, Severn Trent Water, Southern Water, Wessex Water, and South East Water, had already been granted permission for bill hikes in 2024.

Performance evaluations by the CCW, which consider complaint volume per 10,000 households and the effort required to resolve issues, identified Thames Water and South West Water as performing poorly in both metrics. Thames Water's retail director, David Bird, apologized for service failures, noting that bill clarity has been a significant frustration. The company has initiated a program to redesign its bills for better understanding, following an average increase of 31% for its customers in 2024, with a smaller 3.4% increase this year.

South West Water acknowledged the need for improvement in customer experience and is implementing measures to reduce repeat contacts and resolve issues on first contact, ensuring clearer communication. In contrast, Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water were the only companies to receive a "good" rating in both performance categories, maintaining their positions as top performers.

A Water UK spokesperson stated that 94% of complaints are resolved at the initial stage without further intervention from the consumer body. The industry remains committed to enhancing customer communication and demonstrating how investments are being used to deliver expected improvements.