Competition and Service (Utilities) Act 1992

29 Procedures for dealing with complaints

The following section shall be inserted in the Water Industry Act 1991, after section 86—

“Complaints

86A Procedure for dealing with complaints

(1) Each water undertaker shall establish a procedure for dealing with complaints made by its customers or potential customers in connection with the supply of water.

(2) No such procedure shall be established, and no modification of such a procedure shall be made, unless—

(a) the water undertaker has consulted the customer service committee to which it has been allocated; and

(b) the proposed procedure or modification has been approved by the Director.

(3) The water undertaker shall—

(a) publicise the procedure in such manner as may be approved by the Director; and

(b) send a description of the procedure, free of charge, to any person who asks for one.

(4) The Director may give a direction to a water undertaker requiring the undertaker to review its procedure or the manner in which the procedure operates.

(5) A direction under subsection (4) above—

(a) may specify the manner in which the review is to be conducted; and

(b) shall require a written report of the review to be made to the Director.

(6) Where the Director receives a report under subsection (5)(b) above, he may, after consulting the water undertaker, direct the undertaker to make such modifications of—

(a) the procedure; or

(b) the manner in which the procedure operates,

as may be specified in the direction.

(7) Subsection (2) above does not apply to any modification made in compliance with a direction under subsection (6) above.

(8) The duty of a water undertaker to comply with subsection (1) above and with any direction given to it under subsection (4) or (6) above shall be enforceable by the Director under section 18 above.

(9) Where the Director is considering whether to exercise his powers under subsection (4) or (6) above in relation to a water undertaker, it shall be the duty of that undertaker to give him such information as he may reasonably require for the purpose of assisting him in coming to a decision.

(10) Section 202 below shall have effect, with the necessary modifications, in relation to information which the Director requires for that purpose as it has effect in relation to information which the Secretary of State requires for purposes mentioned in subsection (1) of that section.”