Customers should have a bigger say over CMA decisions, says consumer watchdog
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has responded to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) final decisions on the appeals lodged by four water companies against the five-year price controls set by regulator Ofwat in December 2019.
Emma Clancy, Chief Executive of CCW, said
Customers want their voices to be heard and their views should have carried much more weight during this inaccessible, expensive and complex process. Many of the contested issues might have been technical but the outcomes have a direct bearing on customers’ bills and the services they receive which is why their input and influence is so important. We believe some of the decisions will still benefit shareholders at the expense of customers who could have received even better value from this deal. That risks overshadowing the additional investment in this package which customers will undoubtedly welcome.