Water Firms Face 84% Surge in Customer Complaints Over Affordability and Bill Hikes
Record Complaints Against Water Companies
Customer complaints regarding water and sewerage providers in England and Wales surged by 84% over the past year, as detailed in the Consumer Council for Water's (CCW) annual report. The watchdog recorded a total of 96,110 complaints in 2023-24, a substantial increase from the 52,279 reported in the preceding year.
A primary driver for this considerable rise was customer concern over affordability and escalating household bills. Data indicates that household water bills rose by an average of 6% in England and Wales from April 2023, adding approximately £23 to the typical annual charge. This increase marks the largest in two decades, pushing the average bill to £473.
The CCW report highlights that complaints about water meters, billing errors, and customer service failures were also prevalent. Despite these figures, the CCW noted a slight decrease in the most severe category of complaints, those escalated directly to the watchdog itself. However, the overall trend points to significant customer dissatisfaction with the industry's performance.
