CCW Reviews 345

Another one of those UK institutions/mediators to give you the impression that there’s something you can do against the abuse of power of companies like Thames Water. From their own account they cannot help or challenge tariffs, calculations, decisions, nothing. They’re where taxpayers money goes to die, nothing else, should disappear and save us some money.

Right from the beginning CCW contacted me and kept me informed of the progress of my complaint against Thames water. Special thanks must go to Dave, who handled the complaint in its latter stages and went the extra mile when Thames insisted that they were not at fault. Dave pursued that, discovered a mistake by Thames and obtained a refund for me . Good service all round.

Following a callback from the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 today, I am now replacing my original review...

𝟭𝟭/𝟲/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: 𝟭*
Unfortunately, the case has been closed without resolution in a surprising number of areas and my rating has dropped to a "𝗗𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲" 𝟭*.

Once a water company declines to respond further it has now been made clear to me that the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 has 𝗻𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 over the water companies; I was also informed that 𝗢𝗳𝘄𝗮𝘁 itself does not have statutory power over them either.

Water companies are thus a law unto themselves; 𝗿𝗲-𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝟭𝟬/𝟲/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: 3*
"We help consumers resolve complaints against their water company or retailer, while providing free advice and support. We 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 and 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀, governments and regulators."

First of all: the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 professionals do indeed strike me as being keen to progress issues once the complaints procedure of a given water company has been exhausted.

However, my experience of interfacing with the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 is not entirely what one would have expected; especially given the extremely drawn-out nature of the resultant exchanges.

My thoughts (so far):

1) The 𝗖𝗖𝗪 attempts to map customer input into specific questions to be passed onto the respective water company. Since the customer is not provided with the actual questions that will be passed on, this can lead to confusion amongst all parties.

2) I had assumed from the opening web site quotation that the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 would be able to make a more high-level judgement on what are the minimum standards of service that all water companies 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 achieve.

Taking two examples:

i) 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 continually sends advice about water reduction, due to concerns over water shortages, but also continues to fail to more fully utilise its own technology to provide timely alerts to potential leakages in their customer's properties. Yes, those customers who are aware of the online usage interface (I had not been) can logon to check every few days, but 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 is actively monitoring it, but does not actually send SMS or email alerts. Intermittent water loss through faulty valves would not even trigger their eventual mailed notifications following continuous usage over 1 fortnight! Surely, the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 can lay down mandates for such minimal levels of technological water reduction mechanisms?

b) 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 processes Data Quality questions through its Data Protection Team (!?) Such communications are not even seen by the Complaints Team. In this case I had questioned why there were so few nitrate/nitrite samples in the local zone, whilst the neigbouring zone (that contains a mains pipe whose loss affected the local zone) had considerably more. By pure coincidence, the newly released report (for 2024, since these are allowed to be heavily delayed) now has the same number of samples for both the local and neighbouring zones. [Actually, I had also noted that Scottish Water does not delay its annual water data quality reports, but the rest do?]

3) There is no status function as to the progress of the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 complaint process; this is compounded when multiple sub-issues are being handled at the same time. For example, I have no idea whether a communication from me will lead to a further message to 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 or an escalation to the Arbitrator.

4) I took the option of submitting a Data Protection Act Subject Access Request (𝗦𝗔𝗥) to 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 and received ALL of the phone recordings and most of the documentation exchanged, in parallel to the progression to the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 and so I can readily see when there are discrepancies between new and prior statements. Actually, an early call to 𝗖𝗖𝗪 stated that considerable amounts of background information was provided directly to them (presumably similar to the results of a 𝗦𝗔𝗥), though I have not been at all clear that this has proved to have been as beneficial to the 𝗖𝗖𝗪 as it has been to me!?

No acknowledgement to my email for over a month. Terrible service.

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 transferred to a case worker in March 2025. Then finally a Consumer Relations Advisor at the CCW, Shahzaib, wrote to Thames Water in May. Shahzaib was extremely helpful, explaining everything, putting it all in an email to me.

The CCW managed to get a good resolution from Thames Water, which I am sure I would not have got without their help.

Terrible service - no easy way of getting hold of someone after SWW failed to answer calls, emails, etc from my elderly mother.

I need someone to get hold of South West Water and for them to help my elderly (79) mother. They've massively over billed her and she's now very worried.

CCW is in reality, a body that represents the interests of water companies across England and Wales. This is a clear conclusion taken from a 4 page full of rubbish letter received today, after a complaint against Water Thames. Thames Water increased our bill 78.76%. Nothing was done but to agree with the increase and stating the companies can do whatever they want. From £276.05 (2018) to £438.61 (2024) to £639.16 (2025), £200.55 increased in just one single year! While in 2023 it paid 196 million pounds in dividends to its shareholders, and over the last 4 years 62 million pounds has been paid out to company Executives in Bonuses! They ask consumers to pay millions for their mismanagement disaster! And the answer from CCW is just ridiculous! They entitled themselves "The voice for water consumers"! What a joke! UK Government and all the parties represented in the UK Parliament are all accomplices for not doing anything about it and feed with millions of pounds these fake organizations sucking money from our pockets! What a waste of time and our money! Shame on CCW!

Please refrain from misrepresenting facts. The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) is not a charity; it is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). CCW is funded by water customers through a charge levied by Ofwat on water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. This charge is passed to Defra, and CCW receives its funding through grant-in-aid from Defra. Established under the Water Act 2003, CCW's primary role is to represent the interests of water and sewerage consumers in England and Wales......However, in practice, CCW appears to prioritize the interests of the dirty water supply companies over those of consumers. ....Useless , waste of money.

Logged a complaint with them regarding a dispute with Thames Water at the beginning of April. Have had no response or update from CCW. Have rang them on 3 occasions requesting a manger or case handler to call me back to update. After 2 weeks still no reply despite being promised a call back on at leas 2 occasions of a call within 48hrs. When you ring them the manager is never available to speak on the phone and staff refuses to give a reason why. Staff lie about managers not being available and attempt to miss lead you about why you still haven’t received a response. Staff call you a nuisance over the phone as well as hang up on you for no reason.
Not sure why this company exists other than to stop you calling the ombudsman with an actual complaint.

CCW and Thames water seem to be working hand in hand, just a lousy response from Thames Water on my repeated requests for Water Meter, they completely denied that their engineers had done inspection twice and CCW sent an email saying you have not exhausted your options to resolve matters with the water company. I have been requesting water company for months, very disappointing!

complete waste of time - CCW seems ot be Thames water so not sure why they pretend they will listen to your complaint. They took Thames water side in all the point of disatisfaction I felt, took 4 months to cme to a conclusion which is to do nothing and the only suggestion they had was get a lawyer to act on your behalf!

Complete waste of time - incapable of doing anything. Poor communication, takes 4 months to get back to you and say they're unable to do anything else.
This is why water companies get away with whatever they want in this country. Shame on such terrible standards

Filled everything required in and did not get a result. Waste of time.😡

No stars bad, this service not fit to insult the public with. No power do not abide by laws, cannot force a water company to act, on fact, they acted so fraudulent regards my complaint, they removed timeframes. The even March till Sept, they started actionable action, Thames Water Aug. CCW,didn't even occur to them the matter resolved by Aug/Sept. Today, shouted at, abusive male speaking to me. No fact of my consumer rights. Waste if time, money, misleading, no resolve, misuse of laws, facts, rights. In fact, the information needed, is missing, covered up liabilities, etc,duty if water company. The bit on CCW website, is so ambiguous, the baby like drawings, explanation and no clear consumer or actual legal anything, its sickening. Often, water companies, government and CCW, abuse is the customers as of we are nothing. Yet in compaikts waste millions of public pounds rather then say, sorry, heres £50, we got it wrong. They waste time, money close cases, when no right to do it. To be clear, what they do like many ombudsman they fo over cases, to extract blame, liability, then tell public to go away no blame here. They protect water companies let's be clear, not the public, no one looking out fir the public.

This was a waste of time from my POV. They went from saying I had a really good case to saying all the time I had spent, some of which was time off work was "life admin" and even though the issue had been clearly down to an Affinity Water mistake and then them wasting my time while they tried not to avoid admitting they had made a mistake .. ( long story with lots of evidence) there was no recognition of the time and money I had lost. I wish I had never contacted them.

Another public service raped!

Complete waste of time. Slow to respond and they seem to have deliberately misinterpreted my complaint to avoid doing what they exist to do. I provided clear evidence of South West Water’s failings and CCW have just taken SWW’s response as golden and not challenged any of it or given me chance to discuss before closing the case.
The response I received from CCW was badly constructed, clearly with a lack of understanding of the regulations and issues I raised.
I see CCW enjoy responding to just about all the reviews they receive, if only they had the same dedication to actually doing what they exist to do! I shall be writing to my MP to express my concerns at how pointless CCW appears to be

These despicable people should be disbanded. They help nobody it’s a scam they are water company centric. Why else are the waterways contaminated?
A government enquiry needs to be conducted on all these suspect ombudsmen aping each other deceiving the public.
They are enablers of pollution and water company
Better to take legal action against these corrupt enablers collectively or individually .

Still waiting for support. It’s been 6 weeks and I’m wondering when I will get a case worker to pick up my case.

Hey all, unhappy with the service provided I have decided to take CCW to court - (small claims court) as they deduct £0.27 per monthly for each from each customer, without permission/legality, I will looking to attain these charges back via the SCC alongside fees/interest and compensation as they do not provide a service that they are charging for. Took them 6 months and without any investigation received a response to say they can’t help any further. Please others follow my lead, the SCC only charge small amount to listen to case and then are legally binding, you can claim all costs plus court fees back from organisations you are unhappy with. CCW are a disgrace and have no purpose as per all your reviews, they need to get shut down and this is the first step in that process, take your complaint/reimbursement to the SCC, good luck all