Independent Water Networks Avis 

They didn’t put the infrastructure in for a new development I purchased a house on correctly. So I had two years of poor water pressure.

I didn’t report in the first year, as it didn’t realise this was causing the loss of hot water I was experiencing upstairs. I instead was attempting to have my boiler investigated and repaired.

It cane out at the end of year two that it was impacting lots of people and being reported. We had to go to our MP to get action. Then it was identified the infrastructure hadn’t been set up correctly so we had really poor water pressure.

I’m a priority customer and they rang me to speak about the repeated low water pressure issues being reported. I arranged a 6pm callback after work, but they didn’t ring back.

Alongside this we had a water outage due to an unrelated issue, I wasn’t notified as a priority customer.

They gave me £25 compensation for the two years of low water pressure, loss of hot water upstairs and having my boiler investigated investigated for faults. That’s based on industry requirement for compensation per year for poor water pressure. They know the issue has been ongoing for 2 years, but as I only realised the hot water loss was water pressure this year when lots of people on the development started discussing similar issues, they’ve said they’re not required to pay for year 1 compensation. They don’t check the infrastructure or do any checks to ensure water pressure is set up correctly.

I got £10 for them not calling me back. Nothing for them not notifying me of a water outage.

I asked for £70 and was given £35. For the issues, I think that’s unreasonable.

I will be complaining to the external regulator.

Update:
Their comment is pointless as I’ve already been in contact with them and they’ve told me that’s their final response

Had a company come out asked me to call IWNL. I called them, spoke to Heath. Who resolved our issue, put us back onto water-sure and gave a proper professional service. Can't ask to be dealt with by a better chap. Well done Heath, IWNL give this man a raise.

Clear instructions to set up new account

Utterly useless website, you sign up, then log in with your sign up details and it won't recognise them. I've renewed my password 3 times because of this and still it won't let me log in. Total pointless website you cannot access and customer service isn't much better. I've done a bank transfer for thankfully my final bill with them and I hope that I don't have to use them every again.

This company is peak degenerate garbage in customer service. They ask you hundreds of questions wasting time before you are able to speak about a single simple enquiry. What is worse is that after speaking with them, out of nowhere someone else reply the same question and pretends that they don't know you in the middle of the chat, asking the same hundreds of "security questions" again. Wait, but there is more - after about 5 minutes, someone else answers you and asks the same questions again! Ain't no way they don't do this on purpose. So passive ggressive tactics to say fu** off to the customers so they won't bother you again. This company is trash and should be investigated and should not be allowed to provide services at all. They don't even have an email address where you can simply write an enquiry, but they're hiding behind a lot of nonsense just to make it as hard as possible to contact them. And yes, almost every time it says "There are currently no advisers available." I had 3 different water utility companies in the past and nothing can even be compared with this IWNL. Even those people in customer service speak like brainless bots even if you send them a picture explaining in detail, they still write like dumb bots. Maybe they are AI bots, and if not, they should be replaced asap because there are no such difference between both.

Just moved into a new build got IWN as default I phoned up and I got through to a sound guy called Heath who made the application and set up really easy, he was really helpful and sound to talk to. Thanx Heath.

Bought a new build and got these by default. First impressions were really good. Problems started when i asked to pay by monthly direct debit. They asked for £65 pm. Only 2 of us and we go away about 15 weeks a year. Pointed this out, and the fact that yorks water charged us £35 and we were still in credit. Got a very terse email saying its £65 pm for couples in our size of house and totally ignored our comments and reasoning as to why £65 was far too much.Must be very short of cash if they want me to pay so much more than needed!
Anyway, i now read the meter monthly and pay by card. Guess what the average monthly bill is- £35 - but of course they know best....

I spoke to Heath today as I was still concerned about my bill that’s nearly tripled.
I also rang yesterday but the lady I spoke to did not do what she was supposed to do.
But I rang again today as I was still not happy and it seems that when I originally started the account the service agent wrote the wrong reading so it was way off
So hopefully is now sorted Heather was great and very knowledgeable and couldn’t do enough to help.
Once I am refunded and the new figure is calculated I will then renew my DD.
Thankyou Heath you were truly a fantastic help.
I will now wait and see what happens.

Really poor experience with this company, as a priority customer too.

Issues for two years, unresolved. Phone calls not returned. When there are issues, they fail to notify priority customers.

When I put a complaint in, they kept it to what they're 'legally obliged to give'. Not what is fair given repeat service issues.

UPDATE following response:
I already have an active complaint open and have asked for an appropriate level of compensation. IWNL have said that even though the water pressure was so bad for the last two years (so bad I thought my boiler was broken as I got no hot water upstairs) - that as they had no report of poor water pressure in the first year - they will only compensate £25.

I would add the infrastructure for the new build estate (1,200 houses ish) was wrong and on-one obviously checks water pressure from IWNL?

I spoke to your representative, Paula after setting up my account and what an absolute delight. Helpful, knowledgeable and personable. An absolute star ⭐

Terrible company. Shocking service. This company makes me think you have to be corrupt, non communicative and lazy to run a water company, as they are all as bad and misleading as each other. Let my household rack up a debt for nearly 2 years after THEY set up the direct debit and told us how much it would be. Not even a call or a letter to say we were behind. Now they have quadrupled my bill with no explanation. After calling we then found out they had made a mistake and put us on estimate bills and acknowledged they should have contacted us much sooner. When the phone call ended we then had a email saying “we are concerned about your debt”. You had 2 years to put this right. How can anyone just afford a massive increase like that. You’re borderline criminal but will get away with it just like southern water and Thames water. Unfortunately you can’t just swap water companies.

As an alternative to the negative comments I actually found them very helpful and assuring on the phone and despite the recent price increases which we were all made aware of and a hike in my prices, they were polite, considerate and offered helpful advice going forward. I spoke to a very lovely and helpful lady named Paula who was patient and dealt with my query with empathy and consideration which is very much appreciated!

I've paid monthly for 18 months, this month they've sent me a bill but not taken into consideration the monthly payments I made the last 2 months. Which I can prove as they're on my bank statement. I've paid £80+ they are saying I owe them just over £60. So that would suggest that actually they owe me.

I AM UNABLE TO READ MY METER. I HAVE ADVISED THEM BUT NOT RECEIVED A REPLY.

Consistently very poor communications. All they are interested in is your money. It look a f.you attitude. Can this company get this right. Thieves and scammers. You only have to read what people have who worked for them.

Did they get the licence through back handers to OFWAT ?.

They don't deserve the licence. They can't cope with it.

Ethan J made my account,even though i was in a lot of pain, he was so helpful and reassuring, and as i suffer from ptsd and anxiety, i felt comfortable and relaxed in talking about my problems, He directed me in a very polite manner, he puts his customers needs first before himself. helped me step by step in setting account and arranging a follow up call for later date .He gave me clear instructions of my next step,
5 star rating for customer service
5 star rating for calling back when i phoned and asked to speak with him.

How can a company with over 2 million customers get away with blatant lies and misinformation it feed to its customers. Customers don’t have a choice of water supplier so the customers they serve are basically abused and lied to I have all the evidence of the lies but still they continue.AVOID BUYING A HOUSE THAT IS SERVED BY THIS COMPANY

Water outrage. No further comms when this are done. Theyr solution was providing water to distressed people and in need. What about us? Should we go ahead and buy water bottle? Since we already pay for expensive water.

Henry from customer services reply:
We follow all guidelines that are set out by the regulatory body OFWAT, In a incident where a water outage occurs bottles water is not normally provided for 24 hours. We aim to have a provision of water to the area within 12 hours. That is for all customers, if customer have vulnerabilities that mean they are not able to go out a collect the water, we deliver a supply to their property.

I am sure their CEO is worth every penny to ensure a level of decent access to water, but the gest will had go long way for the company. But profits are profits, no point in dwelling on.

Just put water bills up 28%
Water standing charge up by 41%
Sewerage by 9.3%
Sewerage standing by 12.9%

Justification? Because we can, they say in their letter.
Reason? Shareholder profit over national interest. Filthy, greedy business.