Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 30TH NOVEMBER - 6TH DECEMBER 2018 | 27 Customers the existing arrangements and these are being considered using a cross industry team of trading party representatives," says Rutherford. New entrants Utility Bidder In July, Utility Bidder was granted a water supply and sewerage licence by Ofwat. In its application in January, the energy broker said the move would "complement its well- established energy management and broker- age services". Nick Butt, business water consultant, at Utility Bidder, told Utility Week: "Obtaining a licence opens up our ability to offer a full package of utilities services to give us a USP [unique seling point] for new business and to consolidate repeat business with existing customers." Olympos Water On 6 August, Olympos Water became the latest company to apply for a water supply and sewerage licence, with plans to cre- ate a "multi-utility provider" for the water retail market. The Manchester-based com- pany says it will occupy a "gap in the current market", offering commercial developers an integrated network design to retail supply service. In its licence application, it said "Olym- pos Water" represents the first step towards this vision, and plans to add gas, electricity and telecom retail services within a three to five-year period. Axis for Business Axis for Business is still waiting to be granted its licence, aer it applied in February. Self-supply In early November, BT applied to self-supply its retail services. Other self-suppliers in the market, which have all been granted their licences, are: brewers Greene King, Heineken, Marston's and Stonegate, hospitality firm Whitbread, Coca-Cola European Partners, Blackpool Council, and laundry firm Berendsen. Water.Retail, a subscription information service for the business water market brought to you by Utility Week publisher Faversham House, now has a dedicated website: www.water-retail.com THE MARKET IN NUMBERS NUMBER OF SUPPLY POINTS, BY NATIONAL RETAILER Source: MOSL PROPORTION OF SWITCHES Water Plus Castle Water Anglian Water Business Wave Pennon Water Services Business Stream Water2business Affinity for Business Everflow SES Business Water Clear Business Water ADSM First Business Water The Water Retail Company Blackpool Borough Council Regent Water Aquaflow Tor Water Smarta Water Three Sixty Water Pod53 Yu Water Cambrian Thames Water Commercial NWG Business Veolia Water Retail Utility Bidder Waterscan WRITTEN COMPLAINTS Source: CCWater MONTHLY SWITCHING RATE Source: MOSL Non-household written complaints received by water retailers and all complaints to CCWater, 2015/16 to 2017/18 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Apr 2017 May 2017 Jun 2017 Jul 2017 Aug 2017 Sep 2017 Oct 2017 Nov 2017 Dec 2017 Jan 2018 Feb 2018 Mar 2018 Apr 2018 May 2018 Jun 2018 Jul 2018 Aug 2018 Sep 2018 Oct 2018 Complaints to companies Complaints to CCWater* 2015/16 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 12,229 11,772 14,885 883 824 2,780 *Includes telephone complaints 0-25 25-50 50-75 75-100 Water services Sewerage services Total switches Number of supply points Total supply points switched as at the first business day of October: 184,017 2016/17 5,017 5,759 13,740 9,520 7,432 8,008 9,707 15,205 10,239 10,847 8,589 7,126 7,033 8,094 7,280 10,028 9,332 10,940 8,397 2017/18 844,468 538,661 256,145 169,282 162,139 156,794 138,191 74,506 31,624 11,991 899 770 408 403 244 121 47 41 5 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 31,692 Source: MOSL Water supply points Sewerage supply points

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