MP slams 'unconscionable' hike to water bills

A Kent MP has criticised the government for allowing water companies to introduce "outrageous" bill hikes - particularly given recent outages.

Bills for Southern Water customers are expected to increase by 47% in 2025, the highest of any British supplier, while South East Water customers are also set to pay 20% more this year.

Mike Martin, Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells, said it is "outrageous that we continue to see service outages while water companies hike up bills".

As many as 5,000 properties in Sevenoaks, Hildenborough, Bidborough and Tonbridge were recently without water, some for almost a week, after a power cut shut down a water treatment works.

"It is completely unconscionable that those same residents will pay more for their water this year," said Mr Martin.

A Liberal Democrat amendment to the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which would have protected consumers from having to bail out bankrupt water companies with water bill increases, was rejected by both Labour and the Conservatives last week.

Mr Martin said the government missed a "great opportunity" to impose stronger regulation on water companies.

The Tunbridge Wells MP has previously called for Ofwat to be scrapped and replaced with an effective industry watchdog after the Government launched an independent water commission to review the water industry in October.

Tom Tugendhat, Conservative MP for Tonbridge, called the recent outage "unacceptable".

South East Water, which supplies the affected areas, registered losses of £37m and a debt of £1.35bn in the year leading to March 2024.

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