Office of Water Services (Ofwat) Reviews 83

So, OFWAT orders water companies to rebate ten's of millions back to consumers bills, yet every year our bills go up by significant amounts. Seems co-incidental the higher the rebate, the higher our bills go up which tells me water companies hike the annual price rise far higher than they need, just to cover whatever rebate OFWAT tells them to pay. It's just one big confidence trick by OFWAT and their water company CEO cronies.

Just get rid of ofwat, it's a complete waste of tax payers money. Allowing my water provider to increase my bill 38 percent!

Don't think they are regulating anything we have more charges listed than ever,in a attempt to justify ridiculous price increases well above inflation.

Just put water bills up 28%
Water standing charge up by 41%
Sewerage by 9.3%
Sewerage standing by 12.9%

Justification? Because we can, they say in their letter.
Reason? Shareholder profit over national interest. Filthy, greedy business.

What on earth are Ofwat doing?
They have just allowed Thames Water to double our bill.
Why is the regulator forcing customers to compensate Thames Water for breaking the rules for decades? The owners have piled it up with debt and taken the proceeds as dividends, even very recently declaring a dividend when forbidden to do so.
Ofwat are not a regulator - they are an enabler.

My annual bill was received today and has also gone up by 30% via Affinity Water. This is because I am currently unmetered. So all this business about 36% increase over 5 years is baloney. If you are unmetered (I'm getting a meter soon ) you will be looking at a 150% increase over 5 years. I've complained to CEO- (OFWAT) and MP Emma Hardy. This increase is scandalous considering the standard of living crisis we already have in the UK.

My Yorkshire water bill has increased by 30%. Thanks Ofwat for looking after financially squeezed consumers.......I can sleep at night knowing you're holding the Water companies and their shareholders to account!

My water bill this year has increased by over 30 percent by Yorkshire water. Apparently this was accepted and sanctioned by Ofwat.
My income has not increased by 30 percent. Ofwat has fined the above for poor service and now expect me to pay for the fine. How can this be right? The whole system appears crooked.
How do I complain? There is no system to complain that will give a positive outcome

Just seem to be in partnership with water companies and helping them to generate massive profits to pay their executives and shareholders obscene amounts of money every year at our expense.

United utilities boasts of average prices of £500 on their website but our bill is £800 for the coming year for a small 3 bed semi so where will it end up ? Ofwat doesn't seem to be fit for purpose as they just let water companies do what they want and charge what they want and we don't get any choice in it,

Just another useless government department that should be replaced with a regulator that protects customers

PLEASE advise why, HAVE A COMPANY IWNL, THAT SENDS LETTERS OUT THAT LOOKS LIKE a scam. they have a rating of 2.1 on Trustpilot. Customer services is rubbish. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE RESCINDED. You create another headache for people in creating yet another bill. Please put STW back in control of this area GL51 0. Disgraceful decision. Another clown government department.

Hi OfWat

I am extremely upset and annoyed that you as a regulator has allowed UU to increase there prices for all consumers that are unable to afford due to the Cost Of Living as costs for other bills are forever increasing and the Consumer should not be the bear of the cost increases to simply line the pockets of UU Shareholders. I am sick of hearing that UU has not been able to invest in the infrastructure due to not having enough money!! This utter tripe and is not correct.

Like all regulators in this No so Great Britain you don't have any backbone and don't think about consumers and is the laughing stock!!! Consumers up and down the UK are going to continue to get into poverty.

Sent a letter(recorded delivery) to Thames Water 6 weeks ago. No reply. Sent a written complaint to Ofwat 3 weeks ago. Again recorded delivery . Not even an acknowledgement. Waste of space

Honestly what is the point of them.

Spineless, weak, not fit for purpose. These monopoly utility companies take out millions and billions in dividends and then have the cheek to say they need to raise bills by an average of 30% so they can do their jobs!

Scrap Ofwat!

Why is Southern Water not being prosecuted under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 for corporate fraud? Not in Ofwat's remit? Too embarrassing? Ofwat beguiled and bamboozled by private companies into agreeing outrageous bill increases for customers? A cosy collusion?

Ofwat's PR24 approval of a 53% increase in Southern's customer bills over 5 years amounts to 8.75% py compound, or 2.5 times current inflation rate of 3.5% py. Ofwat needs to PROVE PUBLICLY that this increase is NOT hiding Southern's deceptive attempt (i.e. fraud) to recoup £billions to cover the REMEDIAL COSTS of all its enviro crimes for which it has already been fined over £216million plus a £32m Ofwat penalty.

It is a well known FACT that water companies have often recruited OFWAT senior staff, into their own senior positions, over the years. Corruption at the top as usual. Who better to have within your ranks than ex regulators. No wonder water companies do as they like as they have insider knowledge of Ofwat and also as a consequence of hiring its ex staff, no doubt "friends within." OFWAT IS A CON and needs to be disbanded.

Ofwat: "We are going to fine you for dumping sewage into UK's water supplies."

Water Companies: "Okay we'll just increase bills so the public pay them instead."

Ofwat: "That is fine. Carry on."

Greedy, slimy company clearly in the pocket of the water companies and are more than happy to bleed the public dry in order to fund the bonuses of incompetent CEOs

Ofwat is no longer fit for purpose and should be replaced immediately

got a really high quote from thames water...they said the cost reflected the guidelines set by ofwat. So I complained to ofwat...and they said, 'can't help you talk to thames water'.

perfect scam of pass the buck

This quango needs to be dismantled with immediate effect!!
Their remit was to look after 'Customers' however, as their 'paymasters' determine what this Quango actually does, they will NEVER look after the end user, and will always put the water firms at the forefront of all of their messages etc.
This Quango is paid for by the water licence fee these Dog Robbers are made to have, and abide by. However, as has already been proven factually, is these monopolies are already in breach of these licences - which means that said licences should be revoked with immediate effect. Has that been done? NOT AT ALL!!!! This Quango allows these monopolies to carry on ILLEGALLY dumping sewage into our rivers, lakes and the seas around us!!

A perfect example of why Britain is broken.