Complaints

What if something goes wrong? How do I complain?

Step one: Contact your WIAPS approved business

If you are unhappy with the work carried out by a WIAPS approved business, you should first raise your complaint with them to see if you can agree a way to resolve the problem.

All WIAPS approved businesses are expected to:

• Make sure their plumbing work is carried out in accordance with all statutory requirements, including the Water Regulations and Byelaws.

• Make sure their plumbing work is carried out by appropriately qualified professionals

• Issue a ‘Certificate of Compliance’ for all the work carried out to their customer

• Have adequate procedures to deal with customer complaints in a speedy and efficient way.

Step two: Contact WIAPS

If you’re not able to resolve the problem directly with the approved business, the next step is to contact WIAPS, provided that the business is registered with WIAPS and the complaint is within the scope of the scheme.

You can check a business is a member of WIAPS on our website

Look up the business on the search function using postcode or company name. Click on your contractors’ business name. You can check the business address and their approved employees.

WIAPS will investigate and aim to resolve the complaint in line with the customer redress process.

Please note that WIAPS can only investigate a dispute concerning compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 of the work carried out by a WIAPS Member, or the Member’s failure to comply with the WIAPS Terms and Conditions of membership, Code of Conduct or the WaterSafe Scheme rules. These are available on the website.

WIAPS cannot adjudicate on contractual issues, such as price, which should be pre-agreed between the Customer and the Member. WIAPS recommends that customers obtain three written quotes for any work. Any contractual issues must be resolved directly with your approved business.

As a minimum, WIAPS expect members to meet the requirements listed in Step One. WIAPS contact details can be found here.

What sanctions can WIAPS impose if a complaint is upheld?

If a complaint is upheld the scheme can impose sanctions against the member. Sanctions include verbal and written warning, suspensions and the ultimate sanction of being removed from the scheme.

If an audit of work was completed by WIAPS or the relevant water company and there are infringements of the water fittings regulations that must be remedied, the member will be asked to put this work right. 

Whilst the scheme may require a member to attend site and put things right, WIAPS is unable to force a member to do this. Any member refusing to cooperate with the complaint process including putting work right will be removed from the scheme. In these cases, where a failed audit has been completed, WIAPS will provide a copy of the audit to the customer. This may assist customers seeking redress directly with a business.