Half of water customers don’t understand their bill

As many as 13.5 million UK households are in the dark about their water bill, as they struggle to understand its contents, according to new research.

49% of water customers said they do not understand their bill or find it confusing in some way. The figures are highlighted in The Secrets of Better Billing, a study commissioned by utility billing software business Echo Managed Services, creator of Aptumo.

We surveyed 1,000 UK households and found that one in seven (14%) billpayers believe that their supplier uses confusing jargon in their bills and communication with customers.

Concerningly for water companies, just 39% of customers think their supplier is making an effort to connect with them, in a clear and simple way. This could negatively affect brand perception, with some customers potentially feeling alienated by their supplier.

However, the research found that some water suppliers have boosted bill clarity, as they strive for greater customer centricity. Figures show that 17% of UK households found the language in certain providers’ bills easier to understand following the changes. This figure is in line with the improvements being made by energy providers, as 16% of customers are finding energy bills easier to understand.

A fifth (20%) have also stated that bills are becoming clearer in design, again in line with energy providers (20%).

Although one in ten (10%) households have seen their water provider refresh their bill’s design in the last year, more needs to be done as less than half (48%) actually read their bills thoroughly and 12% admitted to not even looking at them.