About Consultation
This document sets out our consultation on draft guidance for all water companies in communicating to customers key information which they need to know and understand.
Providing customers with clear, accessible information is essential if water companies are to achieve our aim of a high standard of customer service and support. In our work with the water sector and stakeholders to develop a new customer- focused licence condition, this issue featured prominently. Customers being well informed is one of the three outcomes we want to achieve from the licence condition, and our proposed condition includes requirements for customers to receive the right information at the right time.
Core Customer Information is information which, as a minimum, customers should be made aware of and be able to access easily in order to understand the services they are entitled to, and their rights as customers. It also includes important information to protect customers during emergencies. We believe that it is important customers are appropriately informed of the Core Customer Information, to protect and empower them.
Currently, Condition G of company licences sets out Core Customer Information companies must provide to their customers. If we implement our proposal to replace the current Condition G with our new customer focused licence condition, as per our October 2023 consultation under sections section 12A and 13 of the Water Industry Act 1991, following this consultation and review of the current content of Condition G we intend to move the content of Condition G into guidance.
This document sets out our proposed new Core Customer Information guidance, including the information we expect companies to provide their customers both during normal business and times of disruption. Companies should take the guidance into account in relation to their compliance with the new customer focused licence condition
We welcome responses to our consultation by 29 January 2024.