Posted on 10th November 2016
Category: News
From April 2017 businesses, charities and public sector organisations in England will be able to switch their supplier of water and sewerage retail services. By switching, or negotiating with the current supplier, customers could get a better price or a more tailored service. Retail services include meter reading, billing and handling customer queries and complaints.
The benefits include:
- Lower Prices
- Better customer service
- Tailored services
- Improved water efficiency
- Consolidate suppliers and bills
Currently, only very heavy water users (5 million litres per year in England or 50 million litres per year in Wales) can switch water supplier. Five million litres would fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools. However, from April 2017 this usage threshold will drop to zero in England, effectively opening up competition to all Non-Household (NHH) customers.
New retail suppliers are being spun off from water and sewerage companies that you already know. Some retailers operating in Scotland have sought licences to operate in England. It is also possible that entirely new retailers including those operating in the energy and telecoms sectors could offer retail services.
Retailers will compete with each other to offer customers a better price and service. Many larger customers expect to make a saving by consolidating billing across multiple sites.
Customers may also benefit from added value services like water efficiency checks to root out leakage or more frequent meter reading to get better control over their usage.
The Consumer Council for water (CCWater) is supporting the opening of the retail market. However, the systems and processes must work effectively and customers must be protected from poor practices which have affected other markets.
CCWater is working with market designers, the regulator (Ofwat), and retailers to ensure that customers’ views collected through their research and advocacy work are considered at the design, testing and implementation stages.
When the market opens CCWater will continue to give advice and where necessary take up complaints on behalf customers who have not been able to resolve matters with their retailer.