How we handle Complaints

Our aim is to unstintingly provide a great quality service and to get things right all the time. We do accept though that there will be occasions when this is not the case.

The following sets out our commitment to you if you feel you need to complain about our service. 

Firstly, please let us know how you feel. 

  • Either call us on 0203 750 9300 or send an email to solvemyproblem@sesbusinesswater.co.uk. 
  • We will reply (or phone you if you would prefer – please provide a phone number and the best time to call you) within 48 hours of receipt. 
  • The person who responds to your email will be capable of resolving the problem themselves or will tell you how we will progress its resolution.
  • We will aim to have resolved the matter on most occasions within 5 business days of receiving your complaint. 
  • We will provide you with a further email address that you can then use if you are not happy with the outcome and wish to escalate the matter. It will then be considered by one of our Senior Executive Team. 

Our response

Where we have got it wrong we will provide you with an apology, and an explanation. We will also set out the remedial action that we will take where appropriate, including any liaison with the relevant Wholesale company. If you are entitled to compensation we will advise you how to receive it.

Consumer Council for Water 

The role of the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) is to represent the interests of all customers and in particular the relationships that they have with their water and wastewater supplier. They can help you if you remain dissatisfied with how we have responded to your complaint. We will include details of how to refer the matter to CCWater in the response from our Senior Executive team to an escalated complaint. 

ADR Group 

If you feel that CCWater has not resolved your complaint they will provide you with the details of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Group. Home - ADR (adrgroup.co.uk) This will be your final escalation point. You have 3 months from the date CCW have closed the case at their side to approach ADR Group for mediation. Any cases beyond 3 months will be rejected by us as the retailer unless there are mitigating circumstances.

 

The ADR Group mediates disputes between customers and water and wastewater retailers which have reached deadlock.

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

Should you remain dissatisfied with our response and you are in Scotland, you can contact  the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) you can ask the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to look at your complaint. The SPSO is the final stage for complaints about public services in Scotland. The SPSO cannot normally look at complaints:

 

  • where you have not gone all the way through the organisation’s complaints handling procedure
  • more than 12 months after you became aware of the matter you want to complain about, or
  • that have been or are being considered in court.

You can contact the SPSO: Website: www.spso.org.uk ; By Post Freepost SPSO; In Person: Bridgeside House, 99 McDonald Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4NS

 

Reporting 

We provide to CCWater an annual assessment of the number of complaints we have received such that they can maintain a schedule of the best performing companies. We aim not to have any complaints about our service, but if you do want to see who does best at this, then the annual report can be found on the CCWater website (ccwater.org.uk). 

Disputes about charges

Our standard Terms and Conditions take into account that you may wish to raise a dispute about the water charges shown on your bill.  If you decide to raise such a dispute you must do so in writing within 14 days of the date of the bill to which the dispute refers.  If we receive a notice from you disputing the bill, we will investigate it - including making reference to the relevant water and/or wastewater supply company as appropriate. When we have completed the investigation we will write to you explaining our findings and any change to the charges on your account.  

During the time that your account is under investigation, we will not apply any late payment charges.  Once we have written to you to set out the conclusion of the investigation, we will expect settlement of the balance within the normal timescale set out in the Terms and Conditions.  If you are unable to pay any outstanding balance in total we will offer a reasonable repayment plan. We reserve the right to cancel the arrangement and pursue you for the entirety of the outstanding balance if you do not maintain the payments that have been agreed.  We also reserve the right in such circumstances to change the Terms and Conditions of supply and to require a deposit or advance payment in order that we continue to supply your premises.

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