Complaints made to Southern Water have risen more than 150 per cent in two years.

The Consumer Council for Water released the figures showing complaints made to Southern Water were up 155 per cent between 2006 and 2008 – the worst rise in the country for a water and sewerage company.

Southern Water, which serves all of Kent for waste water, and parts of Medway and and Kent for fresh water, blames the rise largely on difficulties with a new £20m billing system.

Audio: Darren Bentham, Southern Water's Director of Customer Services, tells us what the problem has been >>>

Southern Water told KentOnline that the initial teething problems have been overcome and they are now delivering improvements, introducing new services and increasing efficiency.

Darren Bentham, Director of Customer Services, said: “The report from CC Water is disappointing and I would like to publicly apologise to customers.

"We are now doing much better and have recorded a significant improvement in our performance since the bedding-in problems of the new billing system have been resolved.

South East Water

South East Water a "water only" provider for parts of Kent, also saw complaints increase, rising by more than three and a half thousand over the 2006 to 2007 and 2007 to 2008 period.

It was the worst "water only" provider for complaints in the country, receiving more than 10,000 in the 2007 to 2008 period.

It too blamed a new billing system.

Howard Handley, Head of Customer Services at South East Water, said: “We have always accepted there were some initial problems with a major new billing programme which went live in early 2006.

"That, in turn, prompted a larger number of written complaints that continued into the early part of the next 2007/08 financial year.

“While clearly we did not get everything absolutely right first time for some customers, this new billing system is now firmly bedded in and, in fact, will be rolled out across the newly-merged South East Water as it offers a sound platform on which to help us develop improved customer service.

“We are confident that our enhanced billing system and customer centre, combined, will deliver improved customer service levels for our 2.1 million customers from now on.”

Consumer Council for Water

Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “It is disappointing that for the third year in a row, the rise in complaints has been heavily influenced by individual water companies introducing new billing systems that have gone wrong.

“Billing system problems take a long time to put right. It would be in the companies’ best interest to work together, learn for each other’s mistakes and replicate the systems that do work.”

Folkestone and Dover Water Services

However, it was not all bad news for Kent. Folkestone and Dover Water Services, which serves Dover, Folkestone and parts of Romney Marsh, saw complaints drop by almost 13 per cent.

Between 2007 and 2008 the firm received 142 complaints, equating to 19 complaints per 10,000 customers.