COMPLAINTS about a Hampshire water provider have fallen by a third after industry watchdogs told the company to improve its performance.

New figures show a 32% reduction in written complaints from Southern Water customers during the first six months of the 2018/19 financial year, compared to the same period in 2017/18.

The number of telephone calls made to the company by its customers to resolve problems fell by 34%.

But the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has warned Southern Water not to be complacent.

The watchdogs have been monitoring the company’s performance since it was named as the worst performing supplier in England and Wales for the sixth successive year.

The description, based on the number of complaints received by Southern Water, appeared in a CCWater report published last September.

CCWater’s regional chairman, Sir Tony Redmond, pictured right, said: “We are encouraged to see Southern has made significant progress but that now needs to be sustained over a long period. We are cautiously optimistic the company can finally improve its standing in the industry.

“Southern has been asked to provide CCWater with further updates on its complaint handling to ensure it continues to improve.

The company saw a 20% reduction in written complaints in 2017/18 but failed to improve its overall ranking in annual figures released by CCWater.

Speaking last year Southern Water’s chief customer officer, Simon Oates, said the company was undergoing a “significant transformation”.

He added: “The changes we’ve introduced are driving down complaints. We are more proactively managing customers’ accounts and resolving more problems the first time they call us.”