Ofwat and CCW issue warning after customers’ homes hit by sewer flooding feel let down and abandoned
- Joint Ofwat / CCW report shows many customers that repeatedly experience sewer flooding in their homes received poor support and customer service.
- Inadequate communication and long delays in resolving the problems made distressing experiences worse – customers reported feeling anxious, angry and frustrated.
- Ofwat will assess companies in 2025 against their obligation to provide better customer service which could lead to enforcement action.
New research by Ofwat and the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), that questioned customers whose homes were flooded with sewage shows wastewater companies must offer more support and better resolve problems when they occur. Some customers were left to clean up the sewage themselves and often compensation did not cover the costs incurred.
Whilst the research showed some improvements in customer care since 2022 for some people, more needs to be done to make sure all customers receive a good service.
In 2025, Ofwat will conduct a review of all wastewater companies’ compliance with their obligations under the customer focused licence condition with respect to sewer flooding incidents. The licence condition requires companies to ensure customers are well-informed and supported during and after such incidents; and that they tailor their support for customers who need extra help. If companies fail to meet Ofwat’s requirements this may lead to enforcement action which can incur substantial fines.
Ofwat will be updating its published guidance on its approach to enforcement in regard to sewer flooding.
CCW will follow up on the findings of this research with each wastewater company as part of its End Sewer Flooding Misery campaign.
Two years on from our first report on sewer flooding, this research is further evidence of companies leaving too many customers with undue stress and major inconvenience. Some customers worry every time it rains that it could happen again, and others have been left in financial hardship. Companies should not wait for our assessment of their performance against their customer ervice obligations but should start acting now to improve their service.
Companies need to be much more proactive in improving performance. To help drive up performance we have also introduced a new performance commitment on external sewer flooding. Where we see failure, we will not hesitate to hold companies to account.
Sewer flooding continues to be a highly distressing experience for customers, with the long-term financial and emotional impact even more pronounced than we have seen in previous research. It is clear from what people have told us, that wastewater companies still have a long way to go to properly support customers during and after incidents. This is especially true for those who have suffered the most and must live with the risk of flooding hanging over them.
As part of our End Sewer Flooding Misery campaign, we secured promises from companies to improve their support for victims, but some are not yet delivering on all of these. Companies must be proactive in their communications and support from when the flooding happens right through until the problem is fixed. We will continue to work with companies to ensure that improvements are made.
Ends
Notes for editors
- In total, 61 household customers took part in qualitative research conducted by Thinks Insight. Fieldwork took place between Spring and Summer. All participants had been in contact with their wastewater company about sewer flooding.
- In 2023-24, wastewater companies recorded almost 6,000 incidents of internal sewer flooding (flooding which enters a building or passes below a suspended floor) and more than 50,000 incidents of external sewer flooding (within the curtilage of a building normally used for residential, public, community and business purposes).
- The full report on the research findings by Thinks Insight can be accessed here:
- A short report by Ofwat and CCW (pdf)
- Ofwat introduced the customer focused licence condition (licence condition G) in February 2024, placing new obligations on companies with regard to their service and support to customers: Customer-focused licence condition – Ofwat
- Section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (WIA91) places a duty on wastewater companies, amongst other things, to maintain their sewers to ensure that their area is effectually drained
- Contained within the research are videos of some of those who participated, talking about their experiences.