Water Sector Complaints Hit Two Decade Record High

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) reported that escalated complaints from household customers reached a 20-year high in the 2025-26 financial year. The regulator recorded 15,115 complaints, an 84% increase from the 8,235 received in the previous year. This marks the steepest year-on-year rise in the organization's history.

Direct complaints made to water companies also climbed sharply, rising 56% to 321,347 from 205,853 in 2024-25. The surge was primarily driven by billing issues, with complaints to companies about billing increasing by 72%. Among cases escalated to the CCW, billing-related complaints nearly doubled, rising 97%.

Billing Costs Drive Complaint Volume

The increase in complaints coincided with the largest water bill rises since privatisation, implemented in April 2025 to fund infrastructure and environmental improvements. Complaints to the CCW regarding the scale of these bill increases rose by 54%, while concerns about affordability jumped 129%. Many households sought ways to manage rising costs, leading to a 464% increase in complaints from customers unable to have a water meter installed.

Financial distress among customers also contributed to the rise in escalated cases. Complaints from people facing debt recovery action increased by 49%. These figures indicate that a significant portion of the customer base is struggling to meet payment obligations, prompting greater engagement with the regulatory body for support.

Regulatory Performance Rankings Reveal Gaps

The CCW assesses water companies based on the number of complaints per 10,000 households served and the effort required to resolve them. Thames Water and South West Water received 'poor' ratings for both performance measures, placing them at the bottom of the sector rankings. In contrast, Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water were the only utilities to score 'good' in both metrics, retaining their positions as the top performers.

Mike Keil, Chief Executive of the CCW, described the rise in complaints as deeply troubling. He noted that the figures reflect widespread dissatisfaction with the state of the water sector and the challenge water companies face in rebuilding consumer trust. Keil emphasized that customers are impatient to see tangible benefits from their higher bills, such as more reliable service, cleaner rivers, and effective support for those struggling to pay.

Sector Faces Trust Rebuilding Challenge

Water companies must demonstrate clear communication about how customer funds are being invested. The CCW urged utilities to be open with customers about delivering real improvements in service reliability and environmental outcomes. The data suggests that without visible progress, dissatisfaction is likely to persist, impacting the sector's ability to maintain consumer confidence during a period of significant investment needs.