Complaints procedure

Our commitment

At Cambridge Water we are committed to providing the best possible service at all times.
If you are not happy with any part of our service, please call us in the first instance – we value and act on your comments to improve the way we deal with customers in the future. Our office hours are 8.30am - 5pm Monday to Friday excluding public holidays. Our control room is staffed 24 hours a day for emergency notification of loss of water, pressure or water quality complaints.

Complaints procedure

Querying your bill
If you believe that you should not have received a bill, or it is wrong, you should advise the company as soon as possible by calling 01223 706050. If there is a genuine dispute, any recovery processes will be put on hold while we investigate. If you have a metered property an unusually high reading may indicate that you have a water leak. To find out how you can use your meter to check for leaks and to find out more information, please read our section on leakage.

Issues with your water supply
Cambridge Water prides itself on delivering the highest quality water to its customers. If it is discoloured, cloudy or has an unwanted taste or smell, or if you have experienced a loss of supply or poor pressure, you should contact us immediately on 01223 706050.You can find out more about the water quality and read about issues that may affect your water supply on our website. If you have a complaint about the quality of your water you should contact us in the first instance. Our water quality is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate and we have a duty to ensure the water we supply is wholesome and fit to drink.

Complaints about your wastewater
Your wastewater service is provided by Anglian Water. Cambridge Water bills and collects on their behalf. If you have a complaint about your wastewater service please contact them directly on 08457 919155 or write to them at:
Anglian Water
Customer Services
PO Box 10642
Harlow
CM20 9HA

Making a complaint
When we receive a complaint, we have set in place a procedure that will ensure that your complaint is handled by the most appropriate person.

Stage 1: Notify us
In the first instance please call us on 01223 706050. Our offices are open 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday excluding public holidays. Our control room is staffed 24 hours a day for emergency notification of loss of water, pressure or water quality complaints.

Our overriding aim is to resolve your complaint as efficiently and effectively as possible and if appropriate we will provide an immediate response.

All our staff have a thorough knowledge of the company‟s procedures and are committed to providing the highest quality of service at all times. We will ensure your complaint is thoroughly addressed and we will aim to resolve it to your complete satisfaction.

Written complaints
If your complaint is in writing (this includes complaints received by fax or email), please include your phone number, as we may need to call you to ask for further clarification of the issue or to arrange a visit in order to carry out an investigation.
All complaints should be addressed to:
Customer Services,
Cambridge Water,
90 Fulbourn Road,
Cambridge CB1 9JN
Fax: 01223 214052
Email: info@cambridge-water.co.uk

Response to complaints
We will endeavour to reply to written complaints, and when necessary to telephone complaints, within five working days. If we need to visit your property first, we will inform you of this and reply in full within 20 working days. The Government requires all water companies to respond within 10 working days of receiving your written complaint. If we fail to do this you may be eligible to a payment under the terms of our Guaranteed Standards Scheme.

Stage 2: If you are not happy with the reply
We hope that you will always be satisfied with our response. If you are not, please write to our Customer Services Manager at the above address. It is our aim to respond to all Stage 2 complaints within five working days. If we need to visit your property first, we will inform you of this and reply in full within 20 working days.

Stage 3: Independent review
If you are dissatisfied with the way your complaint has been dealt with you may request an independent review from the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater).

Consumer Council for Water, Henry Giles House, 73 Chesterton Road, Cambridge CB4 3GB.

Tel: 0845 795 93 69 or 01223 323889

Email via their website
www.ccwater.org.uk

The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) is a non-departmental public body representing consumers of water and wastewater services in England and Wales. CCWater will tell you how they will take the matter forward and what further resolution, if any, you can expect.

Disputes determined by Ofwat
Under the Water Industry Act 1991, either you or we can refer certain disputes to Ofwat for determination. Those that can be referred are:

A customer‟s right to a payment or credit under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme.
The charges and conditions set by a company for making connections to water mains.
The terms and conditions for a non-household supply.
The need for a customer‟s property to have a separate supply pipe.
The charges and conditions for providing a water main (requisition).
The terms and conditions for the adoption of a self-laid main.
The charges or disconnection costs that must be paid to a company before a business customer‟s supply is reconnected.
A refusal to allow a customer to pay by measured charge because a meter is not practical or is unreasonably expensive to install.

Ofwat can be contacted at:
Ofwat
Centre City Tower
7 Hill Street
Birmingham
B5 4UA
Telephone: 0121 644 7500
Email: enquiries@ofwat.gsi.gov.uk
Web: www.ofwat.gov.uk

Arbitration
Under the Water Industry Act 1991 some disagreements will be decided by an independent arbitrator to be agreed between us. If we cannot agree, the appointment of an arbitrator will be in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Disagreements that can be referred are:

Regulations for preventing contamination of water and regulations relating to water fittings.
Water meters – issues relating to the costs, location or metering conditions of a new connection.
Compensation for street works.

Further help and advice
You can contact a solicitor or get free advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau, consumer advice centre, local authority trading standards or consumer protection department. You‟ll find contact details in your local telephone directory, or you can ask at your town hall or local authority offices.

None of the above affects your rights to instigate legal proceedings for any loss or damage caused to you by our failure to comply with our duties under the Water Industry Act.

Complaints made by third parties
If you wish to make a complaint to Cambridge Water on behalf of someone else, for example a friend, relative or a client, we will handle the complaint to the best of our ability. Under the Data Protection Act, we will only be able to provide you with personal details about a customer's account if we have permission from the account holder.

We act on your complaints
All your complaints are logged and reviewed regularly by the directors and senior management of the company. They review the speed and response and the pattern of complaints to plan where improvements need to be made to our service to you.
The Consumer Council for Water Eastern will audit a number of your written complaints and provide recommendations for improvements where appropriate. Cambridge Water values their feedback and acts on their recommendations.
This procedure is the result of consultation with and approval from Ofwat. A copy of our complaints procedure is included with all written complaint replies. We will always provide a full explanation and an apology where appropriate. Where the company is at fault we will explain what has happened, automatically consider compensation and pay it where appropriate. Immediate action will be taken to put things right where possible.

This procedure is the result of consultation with and approval from the Water Services Regulation Authority. A copy of this complaints procedure is included with all written replies.