Water UK appoints alternative Alternative Dispute Resolution provider

(by Karma Loveday)

Water UK has appointed an independent, not-for-profit organisation called Dispute Resolution Ombudsman to provide Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services for household and business water customers in England and Wales.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) previously provided ADR via a third party, but Water UK said that on 24 April, Defra instructed that this stop with immediate effect. On behalf of water companies and on Defra’s request, Water UK has appointed the new provider so customers can continue to access free ADR services where their disputes have not been resolved by water companies or mediation, and independent adjudication with a binding decision is required.

Changing the water dispute resolution landscape is part of Defra’s wider water reform agenda. January’s White Paper committed to stronger customer advocacy, and access for customers to legally binding resolutions to complaints via a “new, independent, impartial, strong, and accredited Water Ombudsman”. It said there would be a bespoke model for water, “applying best practices from other sectors.” There was no clarity on exactly who would perform these functions. 

The Independent Water Commission had recommended Defra consider converting CCW into a new mandatory water ombudsman, and transfer CCW’s advocacy functions to Citizens Advice.  

Water UK said water companies will provide the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman service for customers until such time as the Government establishes a statutory ombudsman to take on this responsibility. It added that arrangements had been made “to ensure that any customer whose case was being handled by the previous service will have it dealt with as if the service had never been stopped”.