- Many customers in need were not given the right level of care by water firms
Water companies have been called out for failing vulnerable customers, with regulator Ofwat branding their services as ‘inadequate’ and ‘inappropriate’.
This year has already seen households ordered to boil tap water for being unsafe to drink, getting ill from contamination and being left without a constant water supply for up to seven days.
The water regulator today called for major improvements in customer service after finding that some households were not getting the support they should.
Pile of water: During water shortages, water firms still have a responsibility to provide this to customers, so rely on physically handing out water or delivering it to homes of the vulnerable
Many of these customers are vulnerable and are on the Priority Service Register (PSR). This should entitle them to special service from water or energy firms, for example due to being elderly, unwell or disabled.
This help can include being kept informed in advance about water supply disruption, and extra help if this does happen, such as bottled water delivered to your door.
But Ofwat found serious concerns about how customers have been treated by water firms in times of need, whether vulnerable or not.
Ofwat said: ‘Our research found that support provided to customers who needed extra help, whether or not they were on the PSR, was inadequate.
‘In some cases, the categorisation of the incident did not trigger the sufficient delivery of bottled water or deployment of water stations, despite supply disruption over several days.’
The regulator found that many PSRs did not properly record what made customers vulnerable, meaning they were not given proper help.
Others were not delivered bottled water during times when the mains water supply was disrupted, or got it late.
Ofwat noted that water firms often do prioritise helping customers with the most pressing need for water, but are then slow in helping other PSR customers.
Some people who needed extra help were told they were not eligible for their water firm’s PSR.
Ofwat said ‘much more needs to be done’ for the water sector to set a high standard in customer service.
The regulator also said that companies need to provide clear information about what PSR customers can expect, ensure alternatives are available when water supplies are disrupted and improve communication about water deliveries.
The report also urged companies to improve their overall customer service during incidents.
Lastly, Ofwat called on water firms to offer a ‘genuine apology and explanation’ for any service disruptions, even when the cause was beyond their control.
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