Complaints to watchdog about water firms jump 84%
Many complaints were about affordability, after customers saw steep hikes to bills.
Complaints to watchdog about water firms jump 84%
The number of household complaints to the industry watchdog about water companies has surged by a record 84% in a year, fuelled by customer concern and confusion over rising bills.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said the year-on-year rise was the biggest in its 20-year history and revealed "just how dissatisfied" many people were.
Ofwat has also allowed firms to raise bills by 36% between 2025 and 2030.
Water UK, which represents firms, said it recognised that higher bills were never welcome, but said the money was needed "to fund vital upgrades".
Overall complaints to the watchdog climbed to 15,115 in 2025-26, up from 8,235 the year before.
At the same time, complaints made by households directly to water companies, which must happen before a complaint can be taken to the CCW, increased by 56% to 321,347.
The three main complaint topics to the CCW were measured billing, affordability and billing admin.
Mike Keil, chief executive of the CCW, said the figures "reflect just how dissatisfied many people still are with the state of the water sector".
He said customers are "impatient to see the benefits" of higher bills.
"Companies need to be clear and open with their customers about how they are investing people's money to deliver real improvements."
The CCW judged each water company's performance by the number of complaints it received per 10,000 households served, and by how much effort customers had to make to get their complaint resolved.
Thames Water and South West Water were rated "poor" on both measures.
David Bird, retail director at Thames, apologised to customers who "have not received the service they should expect".
"We know bill clarity has been a particular source of frustration, which is why we have launched a programme to redesign them, so they are easier to understand," he said.
Bills for the average Thames customer rose by 31% in 2024, but were much smaller this year at 3.4%.
South West Water said: "We know there is more to do to improve our customers' experience. We are taking action by reducing repeat contacts, resolving issues when people contact us for the first time, and ensuring they receive clear, timely communication."
Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water were the only companies to score "good" on both metrics, keeping their place at the top of the rankings as the sector's best performers.
Ofwat approved bill rises for 13 companies to cover greater pressure on infrastructure and the environment.
Five of those companies — Thames, Severn Trent Water, Southern Water, Wessex Water and South East Water — had already been allowed to increase bills in 2024.
A spokesperson for industry body Water UK said: "We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
The spokesperson said that 94% of complaints are "being dealt with at the earliest possible stage without the need for further involvement from the consumer body".
"The industry remains committed to improving communication with customers and showing clearly how their money is being used to deliver the improvements they expect," the spokesperson added.