Contact Details
Southern Water Services
Southern House
Yeoman Road
Worthing
Sussex
BN13 3NX
Contact Information
- Head office 01903 264444
- Customer services 0845 272 0845
- Billing enquiries 0845 272 0845
- Minicom 0845 275 0845
- Fax 01903 691435
- Email customerservices@southernwater.co.uk
- Website www.southernwater.co.uk
- Emergencies 0845 278 0845 (24 Hours)
- Calling from abroad +44 1903 264444
- Water supply and Wastewater 0845 278 0845 (24 hours for emergencies) 8am to 6pm Monday - Friday, 8am to 1pm Saturday
- Leakline 0800 820 999
- Minicom text telephone 0845 275 0845
Customer services are open from 8am - 6pm on Monday to Friday and 8am - 1pm on Saturday.
General Information
Southern Water supplies water and sewerage services to approximately one million households in areas of Kent, Hampshire, Sussex and Isle of Wight.
Nearly 600 million litres of water are supplied to over 2 million people across the South East from around 104 water supply works and are transported through over 13,000km of water mains. Southern Water also has 390 wastewater treatment works, cleaning wastewater before it is returned to the environment.
- Water and Sewerage company
- The water in this area is generally hard to very hard. More specific information can be obtained from Southern Water.
- 99.86% of water quality tests met regulations in 2003.
Customer Services
Southern Water prides itself on offering high standards of customer care, they have a modern control centre and call centre dealing with 5,000 customer queries daily.
They offer a promise to customers that a certain level of service will be maintained in regards to water supply issues such as supply interruptions, water quality, leaks and customer service issues such as replying to queries and complaints and payment arrangements. If the level of service promised is not delivered then compensation will be available.
Special Services
- Bills in large print or Braille.
- Talking Bills - telephone service prior to posting bill for visually impaired.
- Nominee service.
- Meter reading for those who have difficulty.
- Minicom, Typetalk and Fax.
- Home Visits.
- Register for help when services are interrupted
Comments
NB: We have no connection with the water companies, if you have a specific enquiry relating to your service, please contact the company direct.
I left Southern Water as I found I could no longer out up with the failing levels of service the "new management" have imposed. Like the other blogger below, it is ironic that the old management who got sacked for mis-reporting were able to provide a far better level of service than the current bunch of overpaid dictators. I totally agree that in SW the customer comes last, and outsourcing comes first. The standard of service is shambolic and they are pushing more and more work to India and the level of complaints is rising. I know for a fact that the DG figures are still being manipulated and things are worse than ever. Like I said I had to leave as I simply could not put up with the way things are going. The Current CEO and directors should be ashamed of themselves - they have turned a happy-customer-focused company into a horrible place to work that only focuses on stats and where staff that want to provide quality service are slapped down.
Posted by Another Ex-employee, 19th April 2008Yes, it looks like Southern Water are rubbish. I wonder if we can complain to a WatchDog or something?
Posted by Colin Course , 19th April 2008Well, what can I say... I'm very disappointed in Southern Water. I was paying by direct debit every month, I had no problem until I decided to move. I contacted them to let them know and give them my final reading of the meter, they said they would forward the final bill in the post. I was very shocked to get a bill in the post saying I owe them nearly £200; I contacted them and explained that this must be a mistake as they were taking money each month. It was not until she said that the bill had gone up 6 months previous. I told them that they did not inform me of this and that it was there mistake. They have now sent a final letter which I have to pay. Southern Water are a bad company and need to inform customers of this. Customers beware. I am now moving into a new house and I will def not be going with these.
Posted by Mark Leadsom, 27th February 2008Couldn't even add the figures for my bill I received today - total rubbish.
Posted by A. Hudson, 23rd February 2008I have had enough of Southern Water as the water in my flat and my neighbours water has a bad taste to it and made me and my partner and my 1 yr old little girl very ill ; they don't even supply us with a bottled water while we are unable to drink the water in the taps.
Posted by Paul Cogger, 16th February 2008When I moved to my new place last year I had nothing from Southern Water for three months (even though they'd been informed on my move). When I did finally get a bill, I got two on the same day: A red bill threatening court action for not paying my bill, and a regular bill pre-date to the day I had moved in. Both bills were, however, dispatched from Southern Water on the same day.
Posted by Mark Steventon, 11th February 2008I called them to talk to them about this illegal practice. They continue to deny that they pre-dated a bill and that it was the fault of the post office, and a pure coincidence that the two bills arrived on the same day. No apology or anything.
As a result I withheld payment and said I'd not pay until they admitted that they are in the wrong, and apologise. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
I have worked for Southern Water for over a decade. It use to be a good company to work for that cared about its customers and employees.
Posted by Ex Southern Water Staff, 05th February 2008Following the introduction of a new billing system (SAP) and a new management team it has become not a nice place to work. All customer services (letters/emails/web enquiries/automated phone lines/fax etc) has been out sourced and dealt with in Asia. The only exception is the call centre which is based in Worthing. Sadly since outsourcing, which is supposed to make the company more efficient etc., the service levels have gone done. The staff in the callcentre are suffering with very low morale. They use to enjoy their jobs and relish in providing excellent customer service but are unable to do much now except answer calls and pass enquiries out to Asia to be dealt with. Working in the callcentre used to be about providing excellent service, it's now all about statistics, Managers are only concerned about call numbers handled not quality provided, if you are found not to be achieving 10 calls per hour you face the prospect of disciplinary and eventually losing your job. We can only hope that one day Ofwat will take the trouble to speak to the staff rather than the management to get a true picture.
I have an outstanding water bill of about 800 pounds or more. I meant to pay it, then forgot. I then received a letter from Southern water telling me that this bill was now in he hands of debt collectors. Well, this was a year ago and I HAVEN'T HEARD A DICKY BIRD. I still have not payed this out standing bill, and I have not been billed since, so I probably owe them more. I own my own house and have lived here for 6 years... any advice please.
Posted by Martin Keyenes, 22nd December 2007I have recently been at loggerheads with Southern Water over meter readings. Southern water say that my meter readings and estimates have been correct. I pay by direct debit, in may this year my payment was £12 a month. In June it increased to £16 a month. They are now asking for £25 a month. Am I thick or has something gone wrong with my readings. I am now not paying monthly but will pay at the last possible time before a court order. It makes sense for Southern Water to be truthful about my bill, it would save them money.
Posted by Roy Lee , 01st December 2007Southern Water fined 20.3 million- The Bully gets Thumped! Best news I've had this year! They should be fined another 20 million for supplying such rubbish water, sack the directors!
Posted by Jeremy Haynes, 15th November 2007Over the last 20 years I have been paying my Southern Water bill with a set by them rateable value of £262 but I have found out that all my neighbours with the same house as mine built the same year by the same builder, and all looked the same in the year the rateable value was set in 1990, have the rateable value of £232, a much lower figure. I can not find any information about this error and the operators tell me that it can not be back dated due this error!! Who says? I have been overpaying for all these years and "they say they can not put this right or repay me back".
Posted by G Goodger, 06th November 2007I had great service, very prompt. All went well until I put the phone down, but the helpful operator didn't. I heard him cough, make a cup of tea and tidy up. He didn't hear me bellowing the lyrics to comfortably numb down the phone.
Posted by Jr Carrick, 01st November 2007I am currently on hold to Southern Water. I have tried twice before to get through but never succeeded. In fact over three attempts I have been on hold for 97 minutes and it's still increasing. How many people work in their call centre? I'm getting very annoyed...
Posted by Steve Bintley, 15th October 2007In response to someone who didn't get a bill for a year after moving into the property, get this, I didn't receive an outstanding bill for about 3 years! Had a small one for £6 something and thought oh well, they will add it onto the next one. That's shortly after I moved in. Next thing I know I owe them (SW) about £5/600. Bit of a shock I must admit.
Posted by Susan Kelsey, 09th October 2007This company is a totally disorganised 'business' who have NOT had enough forethought to proceed with balancing future problems such as leaks/planning for reservoirs/flooding etc.
As for the customer services, we, as the general public, who have to suffer the hassle of actually sorting out why we are paying such an amount for water, why we are getting such and such a bill, and being left completely in the dark about profits/rates - WHY CAN'T you just speak English in your reports? Why is money from SW being handled by a company based in the Cayman Islands?
I spoke with a very nice man in customer services today about my bill and he advised me to complain to the credit collectors dept and gave me the number. When I called this number, the woman I spoke with said that he had no right to say that to me. What - are they all not working for the same company!!!
We had a sewage leak from mains blockage in public highway upon my return from honeymoon, of all things, so that was not very nice! SW's 'clearing up' service leaves a lot to be desired, and I've ended up with poo splattered all over my windows. Guess what? The supervisor meant to be available to talk to me at any time, suddenly not accessible and that I would have to write in! Silly girl on end of phone had no comprehension of the seriousness of a sewage leak - which was NOT my fault - and was even giggling when I told her how my house stank, my carpets were ruined, my garden destroyed, and that I'd had to take three days off work to wait in for various SW chaps to come and clear up. To take the biscuit, they even used my OWN hard brooms, so now they are contaminated too!!!! Has anyone had a sewage leak before and tried to sue SW, as opposed to going through insurance, since I don't know why I should be penalised when my premiums go up upon renewal! Any helpful advice would be most appreciated.
Posted by Sarah Smith, 01st October 2007Many thanks
Southern Water Rocks!!
Posted by Doctor Fisher, 22nd September 2007Myself and various members of the family have been trying to get our mother-in-law an account in her own name since the death of her husband in May 2007. She has been told on many occasions that a new payment card has been sent, but guess what? Nothing has turned up.
Posted by Mrs Julie Switzer, 17th September 2007We have collectively spent hours on the phone. My last conversation barely ten minutes ago relayed to me tales of "technical problems"!!! She has now been promised payment slips and water card in 14 days. I could go and get it myself, it would be quicker.
Anyone living alone or elderly who has no help or back-up would be in dire straits if they had to try and sort it out themselves. Dreadful. 0/10.
SW customer service is disgraceful. I have not been able to pay a bill since moving into my property in March, due to the fact they won't send me a payment card, no matter how many times I phone and request one.
Posted by Lisa Elder, 11th September 2007I read that they have installed a 25m SAP system and it's all gone pear shaped - so much so that they sacked their Customer Services Director who was drafted in to sort out the SFO shambles. Not a great record if you ask me.
Posted by Paul Johnston, 21st August 2007I have personal experience of the god awful customer service offered by this shower and read await with interest the amount of fine OFWAT are due to impose. Strangely, a few years ago when the company were supposedly at their worst, I had some of the best customer services of any utility - sign of the times - outsourcing etc.
Have noted the comments in respect to SW promoting their direct debit system of payment.
Posted by Mr. David Towgood, 29th July 2007BE VERY AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE LETTING YOURSELF IN FOR.
The direct debit service is operated through [AUDDIS] or "Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service". ADDIS allows any originator to set up, cancel and reinstate direct debits [AUTOMATICALLY].
My recent experience SW reinstated a direct debit that had been cancelled in October 2006 after a dispute concerning their water charges which is still ongoing.
SW had my banking details from the original direct debit but had to generate a new "Originator Reference Number" and new details of the amount/date requested/date first requested etc.
I only became aware of what had happened after receiving my bank statements a month after the event. The money was refunded. However, I am pursuing a action against SW for [Bank Fraud]. My investigation shows that my bank were not aware that the transaction had been set up, it was not registered under an official mandate. I have asked SW for a copy of the mandate but they can't produce one. So, the moral of this story is check your bank statements in the event you had a previous direct debit arrangement with SW.
Since I posted my previous comments about this company back in April there has been no solution to the problem of resolving my deceased mother's account with this company. They owe her estate £81.59 - not a fortune I accept but they ought to be able to sort this out without all this nonsense. I get lots of promises by the staff about what they will do but no action results.
Posted by David Rex, 25th July 2007In the words of Sir Alan Sugar "You're a total shambles."
The management team should start listening and implementing their own marketing hype and ensuring that they and their staff implement it.
Southern Water Customer Services stinks! In brief : I paid my bill at 8.45pm via Bill Pay and immediately realised I'd made an error on the amount, too late to cancel. Contacted my bank who said they couldn’t help. Next morning contacted A&L Bill Pay who could cancel it on same day as made, but office shuts at 5pm. Sent email to SW Customer Services. 5 days later no reply. Made phone call, waited 24 mins for answer, whilst constantly being told I could email my enquiry - not much point in that as they don’t respond. When phone was answered I advised they had permission to talk to me. I explained the situation, advised cheque would come by return. The computer couldn’t even calculate the correct refund, the advisor had to. I asked what would happen if I refused the cheque (major supermarkets are doing just this), told it was not an option. Advised to put the account in joint names, agreed, wanted Mr X X and Mrs Y Y but was told it had to have full names. I advised them I do not like full names displayed in window envelopes, reluctantly adviser agreed to my request. Then, the advisor informed me the cheque would be returned in joint names. Not acceptable as I had paid it from my personal account and wanted a refund in my name only. Was told this would take more than the 10-14 days, but could take upto 3 weeks while they checked who had paid. Must be a long walk to the office next door! I asked for it the quickest way possible as by now I was in total dispair. I was informed that a cheque would be sent in my name. So who knows when it will come. Perhaps management might like to use this scenario for training or even better have to do it themselves in real life for changes to be made. Ratings do not go low enough...........
Posted by T Fitzpatrick, 16th July 2007I have just managed to speak to "Southern Water " customer services so maybe did a bit better than some of the above complaints, however our water had been turned off with no warning and unfortunately for the cancer patient I care for she was half way through being showered. No ideas when in day supply will be restored and have been informed that no provision exists for supply of bottled drinking water whilst no mains... Think customer dis-service would be a better name for company no...!
Posted by Garry Rawlinson, 25th June 2007I am with Duncan (message left 19th June) all the way on this one. I have spoken to 7 different advisors, can not get a supervisor to call me back. Listening to music for ever and at the end of this all I want is a bill in my name and not The Occupier. Sorry the ratings are not low enough.
Posted by Ian Noscoe, 21st June 2007I have beeen trying to get an accurate bill for my Scout Group since January - emails and letters are ignored, I've spent pounds listening to their music on the phone, I eventually get promises of a bill, which arrives weeks later and again is wrong! They fail to call back when promised, they fail to pay the compensation the law requires. The worst company I have ever dealt with.
Posted by Duncan Hill, 19th June 2007on looking through this i would like to comment that i was originally paying water rates on instalment book, i then this year recieved my bill, and payment slips 6 monthly , and i thought well where is my book , i then was sent weeks after my first payment was due, a payment card, so they received their payment late!! which was there fault in the first place they need to get organised
Posted by Sue Hunt, 18th May 2007I agree with the comments so far on contact / service levels - I have never encountered a company who seems to care so little for their customers!!! I've tried emailing (6 or 7 emails with no reply - often not even a standard "we will get back to you" email received), phoning (again more than 6 times and never getting through). I finally received a bland standard letter a month later which never really addressed my concerns. When I tried to copy emails to investors@southernwater.co.uk to let the management know how bad the service was - they got rejected!!! Am now going to send a registered letter to Customer Service manager and company managing director to see what they have to say!!
Posted by Oliver Jeffery, 10th May 2007I received a bill yesterday on a garage I used to rent over three years ago. Three times I rang customer services and each time was kept waiting for about 15 mins until being given the option of leaving my name and number so that they could ring me back. On pressing the option I was cut off! I would be interested to know how much money Southern Water are making from this appalling service.
Posted by Jonathan Tooley, 27th April 2007Well i had been on the phone for almost half an hour when it was cut off. I am on the phone to them again now as im typing this and have been waiting for another half an hour so far. The music is driving me crazy. If they want to keep their customers then i suggest they answer their phones. To add to their rubbish service they are also expecting me to pay £465 a year for one person living in a one bedroom flat. I am not impressed with any of the services by southern water at all.
Posted by Lianne Forbes, 25th April 2007Truly the worst ever utilities customer services phone contact. The usual claim of "we value our customers, etc, etc," are clearly not true. If they truly valued their customers, SW would just occasionally answer the telephone. But they don't. Don't value their customers that is.
Posted by Brian Burnell, 25th April 2007Although the description "customer" has a hollow ring to it. Because we are not customers in any meaningful sense. Customers are usually free to take their business elsewhere to another supplier. But Southern Water is not like other suppliers. It is a monopoly, and although nominally in the private sector, as a monopoly, it clings to the old practices of all monopolistic or nationalised suppliers, where the customer was never the king, but expected to accept what was offered without complaint. Just like those other dinosaurs long dead. The National Coal Board, British Steel, British Road Services, British Railways, BOAC, BEA, British Telecom, regional electricity suppliers, the Central Electricity Generating Board, etc, etc.
And a few not quite yet dead, Royal Mail, and the NHS.
It will never get better until the water supply industry is forced kicking and screaming, to change to a structure similar to the energy utilities, where the customer has a choice of supplier. The present water industry has a vested interest in keeping the structure as it is, and their usual untrue response is along the lines of "but there are only one set of supply pipes". And that is true. It is also true that there are only one set of gas supply pipes, one electricity supply grid, one set of telephone lines. All maintained by one company, but available for use by all supply companies. There are no valid reasons why that arrangement would not work equally well with water supply and sewage disposal. Except that the present water companies would lose their monopoly and customers would be empowered to bring them to heel.
I've now been trying for more than 4 months (4 Emails + Attachments and many phone calls > 30mins wait) for answers to letter I submitted in early Jan 07 and which to date has not been answered. Customer Service is without doubt extremely poor and needs to be improved immediately if it is to meet it's own statement of 'Southern Water prides itself on offering high standards of customer care, they have a modern control centre and call centre dealing with 5,000 customer queries daily'.
Posted by Dave Young, 25th April 2007Need I say anymore. Just give me an answer would be nice!
well...after reading all these messages whilst waiting for someone to answer the phone, I felt that i should also add my disgruntled voice to the list, as this is truly the longest phone call I have ever made! This is the third attempt to get through and I've lost sight of how many hours I've wasted so far. Southern Water - you need staff to whom your all important customers can discuss their accounts with - simple customer focus...where is the problem?
Posted by Joanne Anderson, 23rd April 2007I to have had bad problems with southern water, i tried for 2 days to get through but i had to get to work, in the end i rang the consumer services who bless them did ring back, all this just query the amount i am paying for a 2 bed housing association flat! they reckon i should pay them £409 for the year! i'm a singe working parent who does not earn a lot so how do they justify that amount!
Posted by Sally Lewis, 20th April 2007Well a female did ring me from southern water but i was at work and the message was she will ring me back sometime!
i will contact the consumer services again and then i will complain to ofwat!
I have not had a bill since moving into new property. Received a letter you were updated billing records on 29 Dec cannot get through on phones and today at 5.30 the phone message advises This service is CLOSED!!
Posted by Michelle Phillips, 19th April 2007As all of the above and no doubt many others, this service is disgraceful. I have aquestion to ask about my recent bill. I have spent in total one hour and twenty minutes trying to contact this company over three phone calls. I sent an e-mail as the phones do not get answered, still no reply.
Posted by Neil Finnis, 19th April 2007If the phones are not being answered for some time then this needs to be rectified or a free number should be given instead. It does not take a genius to look at customer comments and work out what the problem is, this is just another lazy company charging people knowing that we cannot refuse to pay our bills, because of the rubbish service otherwise they will cut our water off.
The people in charge should stop being lazy, isten to their customers and sort the problem out.
The service is what one expects from a bad monopoly supplier. Telephones are not answered and e-mails are ignored.
Posted by Mr K Ramsey, 17th April 2007You lot are lucky! At least you got through eventually. The phone lines are now constantly engaged. I just want them to send me a bill – It has been a year now since the last.
Posted by M Battle, 17th April 2007Rang customer services and was on hold for over half hour. A complete waste of my time.
Posted by Helen Bennett, 17th April 200750 minutes.....I eventually got through - no point, though, because there are no supervisors or managers working on a Saturday and the nice young man I spoke to was, by his own admission, totally clueless. They operate at about 10% strength on Saturdays, and have about a 40 minute wait average. They make TalkTalk look great!
Posted by Graeme Trigg, 14th April 2007Truly, truly awful. I have never experienced any customer service as dreadful as this. As others point out, actions speak louder than words - I type whilst waiting to speak to them on the phone, and havve been holding for OVER 45 MINUTES!!!!
Posted by Graeme Trigg, 14th April 2007Like the person above I have been trying to obtain answers relating to my deceased mothers water account.
Posted by David Rex, 13th April 2007Have given up with the phone and am punting in e-mails. Since the 4th April I have received 3 different water accounts for 3 different periods and for 3 different amounts. All attempts to get a response is ignored by this dreadful company apart from an automatic answering device.
Hope they feel that as their bills are not being settled by my mothers executor they should open up the debt collection procedures !!!
Just who is in charge of this incompetent company ???.
I have had to wait for at least 15 mins to speak to anybody then the phone was hung up before I was answered. Two months after having my direct debit taken on the wrong day causing me to be overdrawn and charged £30.00 by my bank I have still not received these charges back from southern water.
Posted by Gavin Wakely, 12th April 2007i was most disapointed when trying to contact southern water as you are waiting ion the phones for at least half an hour before any one answer there is no time given saying how long you will have to wait amd there is no manager there before 9 o clock!!!!
Posted by Jamie, 11th April 2007I AGREE WITH ALL COMMENTS ABOVE TERRIBLE LENGTH OF TIME WAITING ON TELEPHONE FOR ASSISTANCE. ALSO HAD PROBLEMS ON WEBSITE WITH ALLIANCE & LEICESTER I THOUGHT I HAD PAID THE BILL ONLY TO FIND IT HAD NOT BEEN DEBITED FROM MY ACCOUNT. HAD TO DO WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN.
Posted by David Lowman, 07th April 2007Southern Water has no intention of letting
Posted by A. N. Scott, 29th March 2007customers pay with credit card over the phone.They do not answer phone calls or answer E-mails.
All they do is promote direct debit.
Who is in charge of Southern Water customer services?
Actions speak louder than words. Southern water have many words on their Web site, customer service action rating 0
Organised on line for my mother to pay by direct debit..waited for confirmation, heard nothing, rang them, they had no record of it......and they are asking people to pay by dir. deb. !!! not impressed.
Posted by Marion Wood, 29th March 2007The customer service number 08452720845 for paying over the phone is the worst i have ever come acrosss no one ever there loads of pipe music and waffle
Posted by P. J. Dunderdale, 26th March 2007