Our promise

We will compensate you if we do not reply to a query about the accuracy of your bill (if we do not need to visit your property) within five working days.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: automatic*

We will compensate you if we do not reply to a query about the accuracy of your bill (if we need to visit your property) within 10 working days.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: automatic*

We will compensate you if we do not let you know that we are unable to change your payment method or frequency within five working days.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 10 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

If you overpay us and it is our fault, we will repay the appropriate amount plus interest.

If we take a Direct Debit in error, we will generally correct the error in one working day and refund the amount plus any bank charges or interest incurred.

If your account is in arrears and we can’t agree on a suitable repayment plan, we will issue an outstanding charges notice and get in touch with you before taking legal action. If we fail to do so, we will compensate you.

• Compensation amount: £150
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

If we do not respond to your complaint within 10 working days, you will receive compensation.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 10 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will respond as quickly as we can if you report an emergency.

An appointment is not usually required in these circumstances.

We will compensate you if we need to make an appointment to visit you and we do not agree a morning or afternoon slot, or a specific time that is more convenient.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 10 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if we are more than one hour late for an agreed appointment.

• Compensation amount: £50
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 10 working days. If we fail to make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

If we cannot make an appointment, we will compensate you if we do not give you at least 24 hours' notice (as long as we have your telephone number).

• Compensation amount: £50
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 10 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if we do not give you advance notice about any pedestrian or vehicle problems that may arise from any major planned work we intend to carry out in the street immediately outside your property.*

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

* Major planned work is over and above general maintenance, so this excludes work such as sewer repairs and cleaning, surveys, repairing leaks, installing new connections, and repairs and installation of meters and stop taps.

We will compensate you if we do not fit your meter within 30 working days of receiving your application form. Your bill will be calculated based on your water use from the date the meter is fitted.

• Compensation: your supply and sewerage services will be free from the end of the 30 working days until we fit the meter*

* Unless the installation has been delayed at your request or that of a third party. We will update your account within 20 working days. If we don’t do this within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if we don’t let you know that we can't install a meter because it isn’t practical or would be too costly. We will explain what needs to happen to allow installation, any costs involved and when you’ll switch to metered charges.

• Compensation: your supply and sewerage services will be free from the date we tell you until the meter is fitted*

* Unless the installation has been delayed at your request or that of a third party. We will update your account within 20 working days. If we don’t do this within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if we do not read your meter at least once every 13 months, as long as we can gain access to it. This does not apply to customers with a smart meter.

• Compensation amount: £40 after 13 months (plus £80 if we have not read your meter after a further 13 months)
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We can fix a leak on most private supply pipes free of charge. We will usually do this within 10 working days or sooner.

We often have to balance this work with fixing larger leaks on mains in the road or attending to customers who have an emergency, such as no water at all.

We aim to repair any leaks on our pipes and fittings that have been reported by a customer within two working days. If the leaks are visible, we will aim to fix them by the end of the next working day.

During extreme weather – whether hot and dry or freezing – we often see more leaks than usual. In these cases, we prioritise urgent, high-impact leaks to protect water supplies and reduce waste, but still aim to investigate all visible leaks within five working days.

We’ll aim to give you 48 hours’ notice if we plan to interrupt your supply for longer than one hour. If we haven’t warned you and the interruption lasts for longer than four hours, we will compensate you.

• Compensation amount: £50
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payments will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if we do not restore your water supply within the time we tell you.

• Compensation amount: £50 (plus £50 for each additional 12 hours without water) up to a maximum of twice your annual water supply charge
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payments will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

For unplanned interruptions, such as burst pipes, we will compensate you if we fail to restore your supply within 12 hours.*

• Compensation amount: £50 (plus £50 for each additional 12 hours without water) up to a maximum of twice your annual water supply charge
• Payment type: automatic**

* Compensation payments will not be made related to unplanned interruptions on customers’ private supply pipes.

** Payments will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

If your supply is interrupted for more than five hours, we will compensate you if we do not make alternative supplies available.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

We will compensate you if your essential water use (which includes cooking, drinking, washing or flushing toilets) is interrupted due to a drought order.*

• Compensation amount: £10 for each day or part day the supply is interrupted, to a maximum of our average household bill for the previous year
• Payment type: automatic

* Unless it is in Ofwat’s (our regulator) opinion that we had taken all reasonable steps to avoid the circumstances that led to the drought order being made.

We will compensate you if we tell you not to drink the water or to boil it prior to drinking while we correct a problem with our mains supply.

• Compensation amount: £40*
• Payment type: automatic**

* If the notice lasts over 72 hours, you will get another £20, plus £20 for each extra 24 hours, up to your annual water charge. If the notice lasts over 72 hours, you will get another £20, plus £20 for each extra 24 hours, up to your annual water supply charge.

** Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we’ll automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

If you report a concern about your water hardness or a chlorine taste, we will compensate you if we do not contact you (as long as we have your telephone number).

• Response time: one working day
• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

If you report a concern about any other water quality issue, we will compensate you if we do not contact you (as long as we have your telephone number).

• Response time: four working hours
• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

If you contact us about a water quality concern, we will compensate you if we do not investigate it within 10 working days.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

We will compensate you if we ask you to run your tap to clear any discolouration following work on our pipes.

• Compensation amount: £5 of credit in your account (if you have a water meter)
• Payment type: claim

We will compensate you if we do not carry out a free check for lead in your water supply and take samples from your property within 10 working days of you asking us to.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

If you are replacing your lead supply pipe, we’ll replace our section at the same time, free of charge on a like-for-like basis as long as you give us 15 working days’ notice. If we do not replace our pipe, we will compensate you.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

 If, through our fault, you experience low pressure, you may be eligible for compensation.*

• Compensation amount: £50 if your water pressure drops below 7 metres static head at the company stop tap for more than an hour on two occasions within a 28-day period, up to a maximum of five payments per year (£250)
• Payment type: automatic**

* If we are unaware that you have been affected by low pressure, you can claim compensation. Claims must be made within three months of the last time you experienced low pressure. A maximum of £250 can be claimed per year.

** Payments will be made within 20 working days. If we don't make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if we do not visit you within three working days of you telling us you have low pressure.*

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

* This does not apply to complaints about reduced pressure due to necessary works taking place or drought.

If your property is flooded as a result of a burst water main that was not your fault, we will compensate you for uninsured loss and damage.

A chartered loss adjuster can visit your premises to assess and consider damages, including carpets, furniture and internal decoration.

We’ll also provide a specialist clean-up and drying service free of charge. To reduce any distress and inconvenience we can, where appropriate, pay for alternative accommodation.

• Payment type: claim

We will compensate you if your property is flooded internally with sewage from a public sewer.*

• Compensation amount: equivalent to annual sewerage charges up to £2,000 per incident or £300, whichever is greater
• Repeat flooding: if you experience internal sewer flooding again within 12 months of the first incident, the minimum payment amount increases by £100, and the maximum payment amount increases by £500**
• Payment type: automatic***

* Compensation payments for internal sewer flooding do not apply if the flooding happened because of an abnormal or unforeseeable event, including a natural event, outside our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided by our exercising all due care, or if the flooding was caused by your actions or any defect, blockage or inadequacy of private drains or sewers.

** For example, compensation for second incidents will go up to £2,500 or £400, and compensation for third incidents will go up to £3,000 or £500 (whichever is greater).

*** Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will aim to respond within two hours.

We will aim to provide a free clean-up service within 12 hours.

We will aim to write to you with your compensation payment (if you are eligible) within five working days. Where required, we’ll inform you of the action we intend to take and any investigations we intend to make.

We will aim to update you on our investigation into the incident and the next steps we will take within one month.

We will compensate you if your property is flooded externally with sewage from a public sewer.*

• Compensation amount: 50% of your annual sewerage charges up to £1,000 per incident or £150, whichever is greater
• Repeat flooding: if you experience external sewer flooding again within 12 months of the first incident, the minimum payment amount increases by £50, and the maximum payment amount increases by £250**
• Payment type: claim***

* Compensation payments for external sewer flooding do not apply if the flooding happened because of an abnormal or unforeseeable event, including a natural event, outside our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided by our exercising all due care (unless it is a repeat inadequate capacity issue we’re aware of), or the flooding was caused by your actions or any defect, blockage or inadequacy of private drains or sewers.

** Where you need to claim a payment for external sewer flooding, we’ll make that payment within 10 working days of your claim. If we fail to do that, you are entitled to claim a penalty payment of £40.

*** For example, compensation for second incidents will go up to £1,250 or £200, and compensation for third incidents will go up to £1,500 or £250 (whichever is greater).

We aim to respond within four hours.

We aim to provide a free clean-up service within 24 hours.

Our Core Priority Services are here to support customers who are most in need of extra help during serious disruptions to their water or sewerage services, such as supply interruptions or sewer flooding.

If you sign up for Core Priority Services, we will:

• deliver bottled water if your supply is interrupted
• contact you in your preferred way
• speak to a nominated contact on your behalf if you have one. 

We will compensate you if we do not register you within 30 working days of your request. We will let you know once it’s done or if you’re not eligible.

• Compensation amount: £100
• Payment type: automatic*

* Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if you have asked us to communicate with you in a specific way or speak to your nominated contact, but we fail to do so during an incident.*

• Compensation amount: £100
• Payment type: automatic**

* An incident is an event that may cause severe disruption to your water or sewerage services, such as a water supply interruption, sewer flooding, periods of severe low pressure or a water quality notice being issued.

** Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

We will compensate you if your supply is interrupted and we don’t deliver bottled water to you within five hours.*

• Compensation amount: £100
• Payment type: automatic**

* Our working hours for the purposes of this promise are 7am to 8pm, and our working days are Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. You can still contact us to request bottled water outside of these hours.

** Payment will be made within 20 working days. If we don’t make a payment within this time, we will automatically pay you a penalty payment of £40.

Priority Services is designed for customers with additional needs who may need extra help.

This can be due to age, ill health, disability, mental health or a temporary change in your personal situation.

Customers can choose which services they would like to receive.

We will compensate you if we do not register you within 30 working days of your request, and let you know once it’s done.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

We will compensate you if you have asked us to communicate with you in a specific way or speak to your nominated contact, but we fail to do so.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

If you are not registered for Core Priority Services, we will compensate you if your supply is interrupted for more than five hours and we do not make alternative supplies of water available.

• Compensation amount: £40
• Payment type: claim

If you ask us to, we can take up to two additional meter readings each year. We'll compensate you if we don’t take the readings within five workings days.

• Compensation amount: £40  
• Payment type: claim 

Our working hours are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Our response timescales start on the day after we receive your correspondence.

Compensation payments are made by cheque or bank transfer. In some circumstances, we may apply the payment to your account instead.

In some cases, we may not be able to automatically identify customers who are eligible for a payment. You can contact us within three months to make a claim.

If we miss a payment deadline, we will pay you a penalty. If you make a claim, we’ll pay within 10 working days.

If there is a disagreement about a compensation payment, it can be referred to Ofwat. Its decision is final and binding.

Our promises do not apply if we are prevented from meeting our standards because of the actions of a third party or exceptional circumstances, such as a natural event or industrial action.