Consumer watchdog takes on complaints mediation and adjudication
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has taken on responsibility for mediation and final adjudication under changes to how water customer complaints are managed.
At present, customers have to go to a separate adjudicator (WATRS), once they have exhausted the water company’s complaints process and raised a complaint with the water watchdog. CCW said the new arrangements, which came into place this month, will make complaining simpler and quicker for customers, and enable CCW to provide more support and obtain better data.
CCW has appointed the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO) to act as the independent legal adjudicator. DRO is an independent, not-for-profit, and government-approved service that has provided a range of services to its registered businesses and their customers for more than 30 years, including alternative dispute resolution.
Chief executive and chief ombudsman at DRO,Kevin Grix, commented: "We are excited to embark on our journey as the new provider for CCW, offering an independent service that not only offers consumers another layer of protection, but also resolves disputes among customers, businesses, and the industry. With our solid legal foundation and decades of experience, we are well placed to support the water industry in enhancing their services and raising industry standards.”
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