Southern Water Avis 

Southern Water will happily increase your direct debit amount without any justification.
My monthly direct debit was raised to £63 despite my annual usage being only £450 and my account already showing £470 in credit. When I called to request the detailed calculations behind the increase, the call centre agent simply said it was “based on future usage”. I asked repeatedly for the actual calculations and evidence to support the new amount; none was provided.
I immediately cancelled the direct debit and informed them that I will now submit meter readings monthly and pay only the actual amount owed on receipt of each bill.
The customer service was appalling. It is absurd that we are forced to deal with a private monopoly supplier over which we have no choice.
My advice to everyone: cancel your direct debit today, submit regular meter readings, and pay only what you actually owe when billed. Do not let Southern Water hold hundreds of pounds of your money indefinitely while providing zero transparency or accountability.
They are overcharging and exploiting thousands of customers simply because they can.

I have never experienced customer service as poor as Southern Water’s. My account has been in credit for months so naturally looking for a refund. When I called I was repeatedly assured by multiple agents that my refund had been approved by management and would reach my bank in 7–10 working days. Weeks later, I am still waiting.

I have made several calls, spoken to several different agents, and received contradictory information every single time. I was even promised a call from management—which, unsurprisingly, never happened. Most of my time has been spent on hold, and it’s clear the staff are not properly trained or supported.

I emailed both customer services and the Chief Customer Officer, Antonia Barton, who—like others have not bothered to respond. Given the sheer number of one-star reviews, it’s clear that senior leadership is not taking accountability for the shocking state of this company.

Southern Water seems completely unable or unwilling to deal with basic tasks such as processing refunds, providing correct information, or responding to complaints. Truly appalling service.

It also speaks volumes about Southern Water’s customer service standards that none of the countless reviews on here have been responded to. A company that genuinely cares about its customers would at least acknowledge the issues raised. The complete lack of engagement only reinforces how poorly managed and unaccountable this organisation has become.

House empty and then sold southern water gave estimate from last occupant, despite them closing account, speaking to the customer services team very painful absolutely useless. Will not listen. Does not deserve 1 star

I have been after a refund since moving since the beginning of October, its absolutely appalling how many times I have spoken to there customer services and have been told the money will be paid in to my account, but never been paid.
They are quick to take money but dont want to refund credit.
There accounting is a Joke!
Will now have to go to my bank and complain to CCW to escalate.

Disgraceful COMPANY! My 6 monthly bill has nearly doubled to £363!!!! With their criminal 47% increase!!! I was finding it hard to pay so had to pay in 4 smaller amounts over a 3 week period, Making the last payment a week ago but today I've received a VERY NASTY letter from them saying they've been trying to contact me numerous times, that is a complete lie! I've had no calls, emails, texts etc! The letter states they are Goin to inform my credit agency and slap a £45 extra charge on me etc etc! and now when I call them to make a complaint their advisers say they a systems error and to call back later!
HORRIBLE COMPANY.

Have our water services split with Wessex Water providing the supply and Southern Water for waste. Having recently had a meter fitted Southern created a new account and decided that the standing charge for our first quarter would be £1630.35!
That was 6 weeks ago. I reported it by phone immediately and have since followed it up using their WhatsApp messaging service and most recently with an email to the faceless vacuum which perports to be customer service. Extremely unsatisfactory by any measure.

I haven’t even moved into the property and I’m already having issues! I received a payment estimate of £104410!!! I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry! Totally useless people on the customer service team! I have never in my life encountered such ridiculousness from a company or service that I haven’t even started using yet! The worst news is that apparently I can’t change provider! It’s a total shambles and a total joke.

My experience with Southern Water has been nothing short of appalling. Despite confirming a leak allowance of £1,549.64, they continue to issue wildly incorrect and inflated bills—in fact, my charges are still more than double what they should be. The figures they provide contradict each other, and none of their “revised” bills make any sense.

Worse still, their customer service is almost non-existent. I have called multiple times and have been told, every single time, that someone would call me back. No one ever has. The lack of accountability and basic customer care is shocking.

I have now had to escalate the matter to CCW and WATRS, because Southern Water has failed to fix repeated errors, failed to communicate properly, and failed to provide a correct, itemised bill. The amount of time wasted trying to get them to resolve their own mistakes is unacceptable.

If this is how Southern Water handles vulnerable billing issues and confirmed leakage cases, it raises serious concerns about how many customers are being overcharged without realising it.

Extremely disappointed, extremely frustrated, and absolutely justified in escalating this beyond Southern Water since they seem unwilling or unable to sort their own mess out.

Southern water having fitted / upgraded new water meters in my village . But they are leaking when there wasn’t anything wrong with the old ones my house is only 23 years old !
Reported a leak SW said it will take 10days when there’re employees in the village fitting the news ones !
The leak is in your water meter pit which is full which you wouldn’t notice for months and it’s not rain water I’ve checked the water supply in our house with the meter.

my complaint to southern water regarding extortionate bill charge on 19/11/25.
Have still not received a satifactory reply!!!No wonder customers complain! and to think the CEO on over the top salary we would dream . disgusting, Rip off Britain?Sincerely J Small

Why can't you be more like Severn Trent...?
As every other review states, price hikes just feel like an insult given all the problems / leaks and pollution issues.

SW insisted i paid 6 monthly in advance even though i was getting a water meter; i did reluctantly.
My account is now massively in credit and i’ve asked for a refund - yes they said.
Moving on still haven’t got it. Call centre is only contact point but they can’t escalate to manager as they are in a meeting all day, they can’t transfer to complaints but they can schedule a call back within 24 hours - which didn’t happen. Left feedback on their website, received an auto-email telling me that someone will reach out to me.
Constructive feedback:
1) support call centre staff, always ensure that an escalation path is available
2) don’t make contact offers that you are unable, or unwilling to honour
3) Simplify access to your complaint process
4) Pay interest to accounts in credit (from the point that you agree to refund to the point where you actually action the refund); just enough to encourage you to stop sitting on other people’s money.
5) Just stop abusing your monopoly and put your customers first.

Update: refund received but still no explanation for delay nor any attempt to contact me.

SW decided to increase my monthly direct debit to £90 despite the fact I am £636 in credit, I have been in credit every month since November 2023, (I believe that's when we got the meter installed ) except for one month, I was in Debit for 99 pence
I queried this, conversing with a pleasant SW agent via what's app, I asked for the credit to be refunded but the process is that they do 2 readings a year and my next one is in April 2026 so if I am in credit then I will get my money back. Seems a tad unfair to me having no say in a 17% price increase and a huge company keeping my hard earned cash, perhaps a customer centric answer is need like … do more meter reading

Greedy, dishonest, corrupt, useless, incompetent, crooked, and now charging all of us 50% more inside the same year they've doubled their CEO's pay to £30,000 A WEEK.

Permanently sending water shortage reminders (they've sold 35 reservoirs and built NONE), and constantly dumping untreated sewage into our waterways so they can pay their shareholders more.

Relieved to see some of the reviews here which mirror exactly my own experience with this awful company. My account has consistently been in credit for more than a year and now being told that I must increase my direct debit by another £25 p.m. while they are holding several hundred pounds of my money in credit which they refuse to refund. When asking for justification they say it is "anticipated future usage." They obviously have a crystal ball! Have phoned 3 times, long waits on phone. Asked to escalate to a manager like it says on the bill if problem cannot be resolved. Adviser did every thing to block my speaking to a manager, then gave in when I asked for her name and said that it would be included in complaint to the Consumer Water Council. Put me on hold another 10 minutes then told me no manager available but will book callback for next day. I am still waiting for a call from a manager. Appalling company. Arrogant, uncaring and greedy. I have now cancelled my direct debit and complained by email, telling them that they either return my credit balance and I will pay as billed or they can run down the credit balance. I will no longer pay by DD as they are simply accruing my money in their little greed pot! I have also opened a complaint file with the Consumer Water Council.

Horrible customer service, my bill increased by 50% and I was hardly in my flat during the period of the bill as I was out of town for several months. My neighbours used less than me and they were constantly in their flats. I suspected an external water leak which Southern water refused to investigate. Customer services were useless and very rude on the phone. The increase in water bill is most surely for the CEO pay increase. Wish I could change water companies.

The worst website I’ve ever come across Click on the subject you want and nothing loads. I want to find out if they have me as a single occupant. They say they read the meter which is under a manhole in my front garden but in the 19 months I’ve been here I’ve never seen anyone read it.

Bills keep going up but they're still dumping sewage in wrong places and charging customers for their bad investments.

I have setup so meny direct debits to be cancelled for reason by you.. I spoken about this setup a payment plan just to be cancelled for no reason. And the lastest to day i spoken to agent threw chat box i told them what happened and have paper work from you to prove it and not being listened to . I have spoken and explained this not to be listened to . I have setup another direct debit today and I have email confirmation again. And cancelled again by you i will contact ombudsman service and take more action as not being listened to and fend talking about this . I don't contact customers service as don't listen and not interested in customers. I never so meny problems with a company. I record every conversation and email and letters and will sending to ombudsman service

water leak reported outside our property ( but on our meter) . took 8 weeks to fix it. We were then told to take meter readings one week apart and that could be compared to previous usage. Only result - a bill showing water usage increasing 3 x with similar increase in DD. No option to email. HOURS wasted on the phone and they can never see previous notes of calls. Very poorly trained staff with only one person showing any understanding of our problem. A hopeless hopeless company that clearly doesn't care about its customers...but why should it, we have no choice where to get our water.