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Code and policy regulations
Here at South West Water, our main objective is to provide a high quality water and waste water service to our customers. To help meet these objectives, we have a Code of Practice that sets out the statutory rights of our customers. We also abide by our Customer Promise in our everyday dealings with customers. We guarantee to provide the following standards of service in our day to day dealings with you, subject to the exceptions stated. If we fail to achieve any of the standards 1 to 4, we will pay you £20 automatically within 10 working days, or credit £20 to your account if it is in arrears. If a payment is not made within 10 working days we will pay you a further £20.
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- Keeping appointments
- Account queries
- Payment arrangements
- Complaints
- Planned interruptions to your water supply
- Emergency interruptions to your water supply
- Alternative water supplies and repeated burst mains
- Internal sewer flooding
- External sewer flooding
- Replacement of lead service pipes
- Precautionary notices
- Discoloured water
- Low pressure
- Drought
- Working in the street
- Money paid in error
- Direct debits, standing orders and receipts
- Metered bills
- Court claims
- Exceptions
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1. Keeping appointments
When we make an appointment with you in writing or by telephone, we will tell you whether we will visit before of after 1pm and we will keep the appointment.
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We will reply within 10 working days of receiving a written query about the correctness of your water or sewerage account.
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3. Payment arrangements
If you notify us in writing that you wish to change your payment method, we will confirm to you within five working days if for any reason your request is not possible.
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We will reply within 10 working days of receiving a complaint.
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5. Planned interruptions to your water supply
If we plan to interrupt your water supply for more than two hours, we will give you at least 48 hours written notice. We will also let you know in writing the time by which your supply will be restored.
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6. Emergency interruptions to your water supply
If the public water supply to your home is unexpectedly interrupted - due to a burst main for example - we will restore supply within 12 hours of becoming aware of the interruption.
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7. Alternative water supplies and repeated burst mains
Where you experience a planned or an emergency interruption lasting more than 12 hours, we will provide an alternative source of water. If we fail to do this, you can claim £20.
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8. Internal sewer flooding
If we know water has escaped from our sewers and entered the buildings of your property or passed beneath a suspended floor, we will automatically cancel and refund any paid sewerage charges the first time this happens during the year.
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9. External sewer flooding
If water escapes from our sewers and enters the boundary of your property, you may be entitled to claim a compensation payment, if you believe you have been significantly affected by the flooding.
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10. Replacement of lead service pipes
If you replace lead pipework for which you are responsible, we will replace any lead service pipe for which we are responsible free of charge.
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11. Precautionary notices
If we have cause to issue a 'Do Not Drink' notice as a precautionary measure to safeguard your health, as a result of problems with our supply, a £30 payment will be made to you.
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If you have a water meter and need to run off discoloured water, a credit will be put on your account if you contact us at the time. Please telephone 0800 169 1144 (Minicom 0800 169 9965) and tell us that you are on a meter.
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Except when we need to carry out necessary works or during drought, we will ensure a minimum pressure of seven metres static head in our section of the service pipe connected to your property.
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Should we ever need to introduce standpipes or rota cuts under a Drought Order, we will make a payment of £35 to each domestic customer (£50 to business customers) for each day, or part of a day, that the water supply is interrupted.
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15. Working in the street
Except in emergencies we will always try to carry out work in the street so that access to properties is not blocked. Where this cannot be avoided, we will agree with you in advance times when work will be carried out.
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16. Money paid in error
If it is discovered that you have wrongly paid money for a service which we have not provided, we will refund all of the money paid for a period of up to 10 years before the mistake was discovered. Interest will also be included if the period in question was over 12 months.
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17. Direct debits, standing orders and receipts
If we make an error in the handling of a Direct Debit or Standing Order payment, we will refund any bank charges incurred or financial loss on proof of the claim.
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If you have a water meter, your quarterly bill will be issued to you within three months of the end of the period of which it covers (i.e. a bill for the period ending 28 June will be issued no later than 28 September.
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If we make an error or omission which causes a Court Order to be issued against you incorrectly for non-payment of charges, we will pay you £100 and withdraw any associated fees and costs.
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We will not necessarily make a payment if we fail to meet a Standard because of circumstances outside our reasonable control - for example exceptional weather conditions, strikes or the actions of third parties.
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