Regulation 16 Amendment of regulation 17N

In regulation 17N (notice of rights to be given to customers), after paragraph (1) insert—

“(1A)

The statement referred to in paragraph (1) for each financial year beginning on or after 1st April 2026, must include—

(a)

a statement as to whether the English service provider accepts relevant communications from customers made using either or both of the following—

(i)

an alternative means of communication;

(ii)

email;

(b)

a statement as to how the relevant addresses will be notified to customers by the English service provider;

(c)

a statement as to whether the English wholesaler accepts relevant communications from customers made using either or both of the following—

(i)

an alternative means of communication;

(ii)

email; and

(d)

a statement as to how the relevant addresses will be notified to customers by the English wholesaler.

(1B)

For the purposes of paragraph (1A)—

(a)

“an alternative means of communication” has the meaning given for the purposes of regulation 17D(7A);

(b)

“relevant communication”—

(i)

in relation to an English service provider, means—

(aa)

a complaint about the supply of water or the provision of sewerage services by the provider,

(bb)

a query about the correctness of an account for the supply of water or the provision of sewerage services, or

(cc)

a request for a change to payment arrangements;

(ii)

in relation to an English wholesaler, means a complaint about the water supply system or sewerage system of the wholesaler;

(c)

“relevant addresses”, in relation to an English duty-holder, means—

(i)

an address that may be used to make relevant communications to the duty-holder;

(ii)

a telephone number that may be used to make such communications;

(iii)

the relevant website (if any) that may be used to make such communications;

(iv)

the alternative means of communication (if any) that may be used to make such communications; and

(v)

the email address (if any) that may be used to make such communications;

(d)

“relevant website” means a website provided by or on behalf of an English duty-holder.”.