Sticky note figures climbing the career steps on blackboard.

SES Water has reported a fall in the number of calls made to it by customers to resolve problems after being challenged to improve its service by the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater).

The Water Watchdog has welcomed a 15 per cent reduction in the number of times customers had to pick up the phone to address a service issue with the Surrey-based supplier, during the first six months of 2018/19. Complaints made in writing to the company also fell by more than a third compared to the same period last year.

SES Water came under pressure from CCWater to improve after being criticised for a sharp rise in calls from its customers when the consumer group published its annual complaints report in September 2018.

It was one of three relatively poor performing water companies – including Southern Water and Bristol Water – asked to provide the watchdog with quarterly reports highlighting what action they were taking to improve.

Sir Tony Redmond, CCWater’s London and South East Chair, said:

These figures give us reason for optimism but SES Water remains a long way from where we would like it to be compared to rest of the industry. We want to see further improvements over the next few months to ensure customers have even less reason to contact the company with a problem.

SES Water has been asked to provide the watchdog with further updates on its complaint handling to ensure it continues to improve.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Regional Chair Sir Tony Redmond please call 0121 345 1005.