The water companies using bailiffs to collect customer debt more than 6,000 times a year
The water companies using bailiffs to collect customer debt more than 6,000 times a year
A recent report highlights that certain water providers have enlisted bailiffs to recover outstanding debts exceeding 6,000 times annually. The data, obtained by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee, reveals significant disparities in how companies leverage enforcement agents.
Usage patterns and exceptions
Wessex Water has avoided using bailiffs entirely for over a decade, while Welsh Water’s tally remains below 1,000 annual instances from 2019 to 2025. In contrast, Southern Water reported 15,707 bailiff deployments in 2019, followed by more than 6,000 in 2020 and over 5,000 in 2023. The company’s 2024 figures surpassed 8,000, with 4,000 in the preceding year.
Other notable users include Yorkshire Water and United Utilities, which regularly exceed 6,000 bailiff actions per year. The Efra figures also point to South West Water/Pennon and Northumbrian Water as frequent users, though Northumbrian claims to reserve bailiffs for those not receiving means-tested benefits.
Context and concerns
“It is concerning to see the extent of their use of bailiffs,” remarked Alistair Carmichael, chairman of the Efra Committee. “The data should be seen in the context of various cost-of-living shocks that have hit households over recent years.”
Carmichael emphasized that legal action by bailiffs carries significant impact, often causing stress and anxiety for customers. He urged companies to review their practices, ensuring they remain “as sparing and compassionate as possible.”
Adjusted for local population sizes, South West Water/Pennon, Southern Water, and Yorkshire Water emerged as the top bailiff users in 2025. Most of the 11 English and Welsh water and wastewater companies operated within 500 to 4,500 bailiff enforcements during 2024-2025.
Industry trends and customer exemptions
Bailiffs, or enforcement agents, are deployed following court orders. Customers on the Priority Services Register or identified as vulnerable (e.g., ill, disabled, elderly) are typically exempt from such actions. However, Southern Water stated that customers in financial hardship may still be subject to litigation.
Severn Trent, for instance, recorded 11,574 bailiff interventions in 2022, with over 7,000 in 2023. United Utilities has consistently exceeded 6,000 annual bailiff actions since 2021, while Yorkshire Water’s figures were notable in 2024 and 2025.
Responses and policy guidelines
“The use of bailiffs should be an absolute last resort,” stated Andy White, a senior leader at the Council for Water. “It must only occur when a customer persistently refuses to pay their bill.”
Yorkshire Water defended its approach, asserting that enforcement actions are reserved for customers who “have the ability to pay but choose not to.” United Utilities similarly emphasized targeting individuals with “the financial resources to pay their bill.”
Southern Water highlighted its efforts to support struggling customers, while South West Water noted that Efra figures include non-visit measures like payment plans. The committee’s findings have prompted the Council for Water to investigate further.
Post-pandemic rise in bailiff activity
The industry saw a peak in bailiff usage in 2023 and 2024, following the COVID-19 pandemic. This surge raised questions, with Carmichael asking: “Why did bailiff use increase so rapidly after the pandemic? Did anyone look into it at the time?”
