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by Karma Loveday

Ofwat seeks views on a holistic review of protections for business customers

Ofwat has published a call for inputs on ways to improve the Customer Protection Code of Practice in the non-household retail market. This sets out minimum standards retailers must comply with in their interactions with customers.


The regulator has updated the CPCoP incrementally since the market opened in 2017 – for instance, during the Covid pandemic. However it said: “It is now an appropriate time to take stock of the effectiveness of the CPCoP and undertake a holistic review to ensure the protections that are in place for all customers are appropriate and robust for the longer term as the market continues to develop and mature.”


The move is linked to Ofwat’s development, expected for consultation this month, on a new licence condition putting the onus on water companies to deliver good outcomes for their customers. While this is primarily focused on the household market, the regulator said it was appropriate to also take stock of the CPCoP to “determine whether there is a case for making more fundamental changes to the CPCoP in order to strengthen the protections for non household customers and better support the market in the contribution it can make towards the sector meeting its wider challenges”.


Among the areas suggested for inputs were: whether different sized customers should receive more explicit or targeted levels of protection; improving the customer experience; improving customers' awareness of the market; and customer credit balances.


Responses should be sent to CPCOPcodechange@ofwat.gov.uk by 26 June.

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