12 September 2008
Problems at a minority of water companies were responsible for an 11% rise in customer complaints in 2007/08, according to a report from the Consumer Council for Water.
Southern Water had an increase of 155% after difficulties with a new billing system, according to the CCW report published on September 9. Complaints to Anglian Water rose by 56% for similar reasons.
Complaints to the CCW itself also rose, mainly because staff at Southern could not handle the volume. 'Frustrated consumers, with nowhere else to go, contacted the consumer council,' the report said.
But complaints to Severn Trent Water fell by a third as it overcame problems from the previous year.
Dame Yve Buckland, CCW chair, said: 'It is very disappointing that a few water companies are responsible for the overall rise in complaints. Billing system problems take a long time to put right. It would be in the companies' best interest to learn from each other's mistakes and replicate the systems that do work.'
Last year, the CCW helped customers secure £1.76m in compensation from water companies.
PFsep2008
