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Tue, 15 Sep 2026

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 Complaints to watchdog about water firms jump 84%

Many complaints were about affordability, after customers saw steep hikes to bills.

* The number of complaints made by households about water companies rose by a record 84% in a year, driven by customer concern and confusion over rising bills.
* Water customers in England and Wales have been hit with steep price hikes in recent years, with some bills increasing by as much as 31%.
* The regulator Ofwat has allowed firms to put up bills by 36% between 2025 and 2030.
* Complaints made directly to water companies rose by 56% to 321,347.
* The top three subjects of complaints were measured billing, affordability, and billing admin.
* Thames Water and South West Water rated "poor" for both performance measures, with customers experiencing issues with bill clarity and complaint resolution.
* Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water were the only companies to score "good" in both metrics, retaining their position as the sector's best performers.