Complaints leave firms in hot water

The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has called on Southern Water and Affinity Water to improve services after both companies reported a rise in customer complaints.

CCWater revealed that Southern Water was the industry’s worst performer for the fourth successive year after a 10% rise in written customer complaints in 2015 to 2016.

Affinity Water complaints were up 82.3%, leaving it bottom of the pile of water-only companies after three successive years of increases.

Sir Tony Redmond, who chairs the London and South East Consumer Council for Water, said: “We’re disappointed by the performance of Southern and Affinity who have both failed to completely get to grips with the problems that have caused them to be among the worst performers.

“I have written to both companies and asked them to report back to me by the end of October on what action they have taken, or are planning to take, to reduce complaints. We want to see that progress is being made.”