Second year at the top spot

New figures released on 3 July by the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) show that we received the lowest number of complaints out of all national major water retailers for the second year running in 2018/19.

We were reported as having 24 times fewer complaints than the worst performing retailer.

CCWater's report noted that although a selection of retailers performed well over the year, many were a "cause for concern" and the total number of complaints across the industry had increased from 2017/18.

Charley Maher, managing director, said: "Our customers have always been our primary focus, so it's extremely rewarding to have retained our position as the best performer when it comes to complaints. I'm very proud of our team for making this happen by delivering the best possible customer experience.

"It's disappointing to see that across the whole industry complaints have risen in the last year. Admittedly, our figures have increased in line with this, albeit a large proportion of this increase is down to wholesaler issues such as poor market data and delays to customer leak allowances. Customer service should be a top priority for all retailers, but also for regional water companies, who have a duty of care to provide wholesale services to the highest standards.

"Despite having the least number of complaints at water2business, we acknowledge that there is always room for improvement and no room for complacency. We are committed to reducing our complaint numbers and ensuring our customers have nothing short of excellent experiences when dealing with us."

CCWater's report is the second time we have been praised for leading the way in the water retail sector in 2019. In February, we were highlighted as having the most up-to-date meter readings out of all major retailers, with only less than five per cent of our 75,000 meters spread across the country left unread in more than 12 months.

The full complaints report can be found at www.ccwater.org.uk