South East Water UK Reviews 

381
TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

1.4

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 113 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Consumers frequently complain about shocking price hikes, continuous billing increases, and severe disruptions to their daily water supply without receiving adequate support or reliable information. Reviewers also feel deeply frustrated by poor communication, long waiting times, and a complete lack of management accountability regarding ongoing infrastructure failures. However, some customers also noted that specific staff members provided polite, helpful, and exceptionally professional assistance during their phone calls. A few reviewers additionally experienced efficient handling of account inquiries, successful billing adjustments, and quick resolutions provided by supportive employees. People appreciated these rare instances of excellent customer service when dealing with the company.

What people talk about most

Service

Customers had negative experiences with service, noting prolonged water outages and rising bills. Consumers... See more

Price

Reviewers express profound dissatisfaction with the soaring price of water, describing bills as excessively... See more

Customer service

People report negative experiences with customer service, describing it as disorganised and ineffective.... See more

Staff

Users describe negative interactions with staff, expressing widespread frustration over poor communication,... See more

Location

Consumers express deep frustration with location-based water shortages and supply failures affecting multiple... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Hosepipe ban since July 2025 last year & still in force as of 13.01 .2026. This company has no resiliency whatsoever as they have sold off their estates for house building etc. Their website need a lo... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

How can a company possibly justify the answer we don't know when the water outage will end. Clueless bunch of muppets who think it is acceptable to increase bills by 40%. It's not as though you can... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

It’s not just south east water that’s useless. The subcontractors are just as bad. Poor communication, no work ethic, unreasonable attitude. Not fit for purpose. It’s rotten all the way from top to bo... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Just had a phone call from SEW about our ongoing low pressure, they still will not admit there is a problem even though two of their staff own visited us admitted there was a problem supplying our co... See more


Company details

  1. Water Utility Company

Written by the company

Our aim is to be the water company people want to be supplied by and want to work for. Manage your water account online 24/7 – View your bills, manage your move, make payments and manage your Direct Debit.


Contact info

1.4

Bad

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

381 reviews

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No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Hasn’t replied to negative reviews

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1.4

All reviews

(381)

108 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I told them that I wanted to stop my…

I told them that I wanted to stop my payment to thames water because of all the raw sewage going into the rivers as they say it is coming because of storm drains but now they say that we didn't have enough rain so there is a water shortage how can there be a water shortage if they say that.
Also they don't tell you about prices going up and on my monthly payments they say I use so much a month and try to charge me more than that

July 14, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Parasitical scum

Disgusting profiteering company only interested in ££'s for directors. It is a national disgrace how an essential element of life is left to parasites such as Southern Water to run. Same nonsense every year, shortages despite solid rain for months on end. No investment in the network. One of the wettest countries in the world and water shortage is a problem? Lets not even mention the quality of the water, not fit for drinking.

July 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Scam artists that need to be shut down…

Scam artists that need to be shut down with all its managers put on trial, in an ideal world.

In what universe is it ok to keep putting up prices while reducing service and quality across the board, yet have the nerve to mail-shot customers telling them off about water usage with a sob story about how hard it is for the while they pocket billions in dividends instead of reinvesting into the network.

July 1, 2025
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Mafia

They almost doubled my bill for no reason and still had the audacity to tell me to save water because of hot weather. Might as well let it run all the time to get the most for my money. Its a mafia and there is nothing I can do. Good that your CEO is still getting bonuses and earning millions.

June 20, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Not only do they pollute rivers

Not only do they pollute rivers, harm wildlife, and destroy natural habitats, but they’ve also doubled my bills within a year, with a 50% increase. And guess what? They’re your only provider, so you’re forced to accept it and pay up, while their executives walk away with massive bonuses and live in luxury. It’s disgraceful.

They can go to hell!

June 26, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The South East Water customer service…

The South East Water customer service is the worst service ever. I had a water leak in my house, causing a lot of damage to the toilet, the floor, and the walls, plus the adjacent rooms. I contacted them a week ago (on Thursday), and they told me this request is an emergency and that I would have priority. Since that time, no one has come to fix the problem, although I keep contacting them every day. This is not customer service; this is an annoying service.
Kings Drive
Eastbourne

June 12, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Rip off water companies

Just had my bill! Theyre improving my drinking water, so have raised my DD by £25 per month. It said that on average there would be a 20% rise, but in reality my bill is up by 50%, and the best part about it, is we drink bottled water!
This government needs to take back control of Utilities. They are a bunch of crooks who line their pockets at our expense.
I was under the impression I was paying for drinking water already!
We are left with no choice, which feels like extortion to me.
Someone needs to hold them to account, and let them pay for what they're actually meant to do!

June 17, 2025
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Water leak in Marden

There has been a water leak in Marden, Kent since mid February. This has been reported to South East Water on numerous occasions by numerous residents. South East Water are aware of this and have done NOTHING in response. They don't even have the courtesy to acknowledge when people report leaks. Why people continue to do so in the face of such ignorant rudeness and disrespect is beyond my comprehension. As is how, in the name of all that's Holy, the thoroughly incompetent senior management of this company ever fumbled their way into their appointments.

May 2, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Seriously currupt

They do not send Paper bills, you will only get a debt collectors letter requesting payment + £50 debt collection fee.
This company is corrupt to the core. We couldn't believe the first contact was from a debt agency. Noticed many others on here have experienced the same. How is this legal? Is there a movement or online petition that we can sign up to so we can stand against this? Disgusting.

May 11, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

no water

We have been with out water for almost 2 days and been told it is unlikely we will get any today - terrible company who care more about paying dividends to their share holders than getting g water to their customers …. Renationalise now!

March 23, 2025
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The bill for 25/26 is a disgrace.

The bill for 25/26 is a disgrace.
So you expect customers, who have no choice to change supplier, to pay an extra £215 a year. For what ? Nothing here has improved for years and the supposed Broadoak reservoir has only been talked about for 40 odd years.
And yet you expect customers to pay an extortionate rise in costs for supply and removal.
Serve you right if we the customers refuse to pay!

March 21, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Told me they’d help, they haven’t

I rent a shop, it has a flat above it that has been paying this company for the water for many years. I had a letter from them that lied and said there was no account set up to pay for the water, I thought I’d do the right thing and set one up. At this point I was unaware that the flat upstairs was paying them, they use significantly more water than us as it’s a family of 4 and I don’t use any water as I use bottled water to drink and bring in my own water to flush the toilet. Castle Water have contacted me demanding I pay over £2500 for the water supply even though I don’t use it. According to information online if the domestic user above the shop uses more water than the shop it can be considered a domestic account, a man visited from SE Water and agreed I should not have to pay again for the water and that the flat would use considerably more than I would. Then Castle Water demand the money again so I called SE Water and the lady was very nice and understanding but said she deals with billing but would contact the right person and explain the situation, this was weeks ago and not a word. Castle Water are adding interest daily to the money they say I owe even though it’s been paid for already, Castle Water say tough, the flat upstairs need to contact SE Water about duplicate billing. The tenants are lovely but English is not their first language so I can’t even discuss it with them. I don’t have the money to pay it, Castle Water are adamant I have to pay, they say it has to be a commercial supply and I have to get money from upstairs, if it has to be a commercial supply how comes SE Water have been taking the money for years? This is nuts, nobody seems to care or want to help me. I
M having sleepless nights over this and it’s affecting my mental health.

February 8, 2025
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Terrible customer service.

Terrible customer service.
I contacted this company regarding a water metre reading.
Our metre is under dirt, sludge and water. So I had this all cleaned out so I could see the readings. (Bearing in mind a reading was taken prior to us moving in the property via a Bluetooth device)
We have a fence within our land and going slightly over the metre. This does not stop you from removing the cover and looking at the readings yourself.
I am being told to remove my fence. I said the metre glass is damaged and the metre is sitting under water to be ignored.
I have asked for them to use a Bluetooth device to read the metre as the metre glass is faulty but the customer service keeps ignoring this stating its not accurate and to remove the fence.
I'm not removing my fence as I'm well within my land. The metre can be accessed and read as the metre guy said so himself on his arrival this week.

February 3, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

DIRE SERVICE FROM THE CEO

In order to get an answer to a question don't both contacting the CEO as he ignores your requests and official complaints - next step independant body and my MP.

January 2, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Disgraceful

This disgrace of company has now lobbied to increase our water bills by 20% this year. Apparently to invest in infrastructure. I guess that's what they have to do now that their Australian private equity owners have stripped it, loaded it with debt, and handed over any profit to shareholders.

January 30, 2025
Unprompted review

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