The complaints process was not explained well at the beginning....I didn't know it was in various stages and the time involved. I first contacted the CCW by phone in January 2025. It was then tr... See more
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Based on reviews, created with AI
At CCW, we provide a free independent review for consumers who can’t resolve complaints directly with their water company. We look at how well the company has handled your complaint. You can make a complaint to us once you have completed stage one and two of your company’s complaint process and have been referred to us. If we find the company at fault, we’ll recommend actions they should take. We can negotiate but can’t enforce decisions or penalties. Some complaints we can’t help you with. For more information about this visit our website. https://www.ccw.org.uk/advice-and-support/make-a-complaint/complaints-we-cant-help-with/ We may share Trustpilot reviews on social media, they will be anonymised for privacy. Yn CCW, rydym yn darparu adolygiad annibynnol rhad ac am ddim i ddefnyddwyr na allant ddatrys cwynion yn uniongyrchol gyda'u cwmni dŵr. Edrychwn ar ba mor dda y mae'r cwmni wedi ymdrin â'ch cwyn. Gallwch wneud cwyn i ni unwaith y byddwch wedi cwblhau cam un a dau o broses gwyno eich cwmni a chael eich cyfeirio atom. Os canfyddwn fod y cwmni ar fai, byddwn yn argymell camau y dylent eu cymryd. Gallwn drafod ond ni allwn orfodi penderfyniadau na chosbau. Rhai cwynion na allwn eich helpu gyda nhw. I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am hyn ewch i'n gwefan. https://www.ccw.org.uk/advice-and-support/make-a-complaint/complaints-we-cant-help-with/ Efallai y byddwn yn rhannu adolygiadau Trustpilot ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol, byddant yn ddienw am breifatrwydd.
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It was easy to contact CCW and you feel, you have being listened to.Customet service is great and very supportive. Easy reachable and great support given.
From my first contact with Customer Service Advisor OS - she made me feel heard and respected, timeframe for my complaint was appropriate and the outcome was better than expected, this was due to the hard work and dedication of OS
Angie from CCW dealt with my case and was super helpful, kept me informed and got the outcome I wanted.

Reply from CCW
Excellent service from start to finish. After literally years trying myself to get Waterplus to reverse late payment charges on late payment charges that should never have been charged to us in the first place Angie at CCW took on our case and resolved it with them swiftly to our satisfaction.

Reply from CCW
Chased Yorkshire Water for over a month - they still haven't acknowledged my complaint.
Called CCW for some advice and help with the complaint.
Spoke to someone called Rahman, zero interest in the complaint, didn't know what he was doing, sounded like he was half asleep and couldn't be bothered.
As usual CCW are useless.
A water company can do whatever it likes to its customers, with 'the independent voice for water consumers' (CCW) providing no help as usual.

Reply from CCW
I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank Phillip for his support in resolving my water issue.
I had been dealing with a matter with the water company from 2021 to 2026, and it was an extremely frustrating experience. I felt as though I was being constantly passed around without any real resolution, and it became very overwhelming for me over time.
After reaching out to CWC, I’m truly grateful that the situation was finally brought to a resolution. I really appreciate the time, effort, and support provided throughout the process.
Thank you once again for helping me get this matter sorted.
CWC/ Phillip your assistance means a lot.

Reply from CCW
CCW were efficient, knowledgeable, friendly and courteous. They acted straight away to get Southern Water to listen to my complaint and followed up two days' later to see how they could help further. What a great service! These water companies, as monopolies give customers nowhere to go so they can't vote with their feet (as you would do an energy company). The quicker these companies are brought into public ownership, the better!

Reply from CCW
it wont accept me or listen to my complaint its just like united utilities and water plus only interested if i am praising them the site will not accept my name either

Reply from CCW
Angie kept us informed throughout the process and we got the resolution we were hoping for. That is the reason for the 5 stars. We still think that it is outrageous that Thames Water took so long to come to a decent decision. If we had not been so persistent, then nothing would have happened. CCW and Angie were good, but the organisation has no actual teeth, and cannot compel the water companies to act fairly. This is of course not Angie’s fault and she was great - despite the constraints of her position.

Reply from CCW
how-is-ccw-funded
how-is-ccw-funded
CCW costs 36.8p for each bill payer in England and Wales.
CCW is funded by water customers through a charge by Ofwat to water and sewerage companies in England and Wales.
Further information can be found on the CCW website
through their advice-and-support section.
How ironic that one incompetent quango fund another, from the reviews of CCW, they are an equally incompetent organisation.
Update 15/04/2026
Thank you for your reply.
I note that you have failed to provide an answer to what my review stated.

Reply from CCW
Mike Green the investigator was awesome. He was so professional, understanding, kind and compassionate in how he handled our complaint and kept us informed at every stage.
I would add that one thing that would really enhance this service is, if CCW were given legal powers, to really hold these water companies to account!
Thank you again Mike, your support was invaluable.

Reply from CCW
I had an issue with Yorkshire Water and their contractor which had cost me a substantial amount of money. I endured huge amounts of wasted time and it took many months of constantly chasing responses (due to YW missing every self imposed deadline) to exhaust both parts of their complaints procedure before being referred to CCW. Zahed was extremely helpful and supportive but couldn't get the resolution I wanted as CCW cannot make financial awards against a water company, something I did not realise was the case. He then pulled large amounts of evidence together to put forward to the arbitrator which produced the desired outcome. Zahed was very knowledgeable and put information across to me in a way that made the process seem less daunting which was reassuring. It was such a refreshing change after dealing with YW to have someone who would actually contact me to advise on progress, a revelation after a year of spending hours on the phone to get nowhere. Thank you so much for your support and advice.

Reply from CCW
I had an absolute nightmare with Severn trent water authority. There customer care was diabolical, processes were not followed and their complaints service was non existent. I had water coming into my garden that they did not investigate for several weeks.
I contacted the CCW as my complaint was going for over 7 months. A lady called Olayinka took my case on she was professional, kind, listened to my case and understood my concerns. She kept me informed of every stage. I felt supported throughout. She managed to get my case sorted with STW and got what I requested which was an apology for their service failures.
I would definitely recommend the CCW and I will use them if ever I need to. Top marks for speed, customer service. Well done and thank you

Reply from CCW
I cannot thank Angie Humphries at CCW enough for the support she gave me during an incredibly stressful and overwhelming situation.
From the very beginning, Angie showed genuine care, patience, and a deep understanding of the impact this issue had on me. What truly stood out was her determination to advocate on my behalf, she didn’t just process my case, she fought for it. Thanks to her persistence, my compensation increased from £90 to £170, which made me feel genuinely seen and supported.
Throughout the entire process, Angie kept me informed, explained everything clearly, and handled everything with such professionalism and empathy. At a time when I felt quite alone dealing with everything, she brought reassurance and clarity, which meant more than I can put into words.
Angie is a true asset to CCW. If all customer service were like this, things would be very different.
Thank you so much, Angie, I will always be grateful for your support.
You made a difficult situation feel manageable, and that meant everything.

Reply from CCW
My advisor, Michael, was professional, friendly and extremely helpful. He explained the process and was supportive throughout.

Reply from CCW
CCW refused to intervene, alleging that they simply are "unable to force a water company to do anything they are not willing to do", even when water companies act unfairly and breach the law (Water Industry Act 1991, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Ofwat Charging Rules, and Standards of Conduct). What's the point in CCW then? Furthermore, the Water Redress Scheme WATRS transferred its responsibility of reviewing escalated complaints to CCW in December 2023. So, CCW simply refuses to take on their new responsibility and do their job! They didn't even offer me the option of independent adjudication. CCW is nothing but public facade. Allegedly defending consumers, whilst in reality they remain heavily biased towards water suppliers, even when their conduct is unfair or illegal.

Reply from CCW
Good Communication. I have received useful advice on how to take my case forward using the appropriate terminology. It has been a lengthy drawn out process liiasing with Thames Water dealing with their misleading statements and seeking the truth.
When I have spoken to CCW they have been good at listening and understanding my concerns. Today, Deacon phoned me to make me aware that my case would be progressing and would shortly be assigned to a case handler. He was very professional and I felt reassured that I had been listened to and my concerns were taken seriously and being addressed.

Reply from CCW
After an awful experience with Anglia Water i was put in touch with the amazing Angie following my request for support. She was both professional and polite whilst expressing that she understood my perspective and was able to speak to Anglia Water and whilst i did not get a full refund she was able to facilitate an acceptable refund. This was my first time using this service and i was impressed as the process was fairly straightforward and the communication thought was appropriate as i felt informed and included. I would say that i would use again but hope that i don't have to.

Reply from CCW
After speaking to CCW and having to re explain what the issue was, and being told she fully understood why I was unhappy, she then backed TW and sent another generic response. Leaves me feeling like we, the general public have no way of receiving fair treatment by these big organisations. CCW is just another ‘lip service’, which gives the impression of looking into issues on behalf of the consumer.

Reply from CCW
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