Consumer Council for Water

The Consumer Council for Water is the statutory consumer body for water and sewerage in England and Wales. It is independent of the water companies and funded by them, and it exists to make sure customers' views are heard. CCW can take up complaints that a company has not resolved, explain your rights and press for a remedy, but it is not a court and does not set prices.

What CCW can do

• Take up an unresolved complaint with your water company and review how it was handled.
• Explain the rules on billing, meters, leaks, surface water drainage and priority services.
• Recommend a refund, a credit or another remedy where the company has failed.
• Publish company performance data and campaign on issues that affect many customers.
• Refer wider regulatory concerns to Ofwat.

What it cannot do

CCW cannot make a legally binding decision, cannot fine a company and cannot set the price you pay. It does not cover Scotland, where the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and Consumer Scotland take the lead. It also does not handle energy, broadband or council tax complaints.

When to contact CCW

Contact your water company first and let it complete its complaints process. If the response is unsatisfactory or the company has stopped responding, CCW can step in. It is particularly useful for disputes about estimated bills, leaks on the customer's side of the meter, surface water drainage charges, meter installation and priority service registration.

Have the account number, the service address, the dates and the company's final response ready. Explain what you want: a corrected bill, a meter test, a leak adjustment, a payment plan or compensation. CCW's advisers can tell you whether the company has followed its published complaints procedure.

Evidence that helps

• Bills covering the period in dispute.
• Meter readings and photos, including the serial number.
• The company's complaint responses and any deadlock position.
• A record of calls, visits and promised dates.
• For leak claims, photos of the leak and any repair invoices.

CCW publishes guidance on the standards water companies must meet. If the company has failed on a guaranteed standard, ask which payment applies. If the issue affects your whole street or a vulnerable household, say so, because CCW can escalate patterns as well as individual cases.

Read water complaints in England and Wales for the full escalation path. If you also have an energy complaint, the Energy Ombudsman is the separate route.