Retailer Roadmap actions

Retailers have four actions (R1-R5) allocated to it in the Strategic Panel's Roadmap to a Flourishing Market. Find out how retailers are progressing with these below. 

Each action is assigned a red, amber or green (RAG) status depending on its progress. The definition of the RAG status is as follows:

  • Green – on schedule, no concerns OR delivered and under review
  • Amberflagged because an issue has been encountered that may or may not delay the completion of the action
  • Red - delay or issue identified that is preventing delivery to schedule

Action Latest update End date Status

R1. Notify businesses of recently occupied vacant sites An enduring process of retailers sending out notifications to replicate the awareness push at market opening for companies that may have missed this at the time so that all customers who are eligible for the market are in it.

June 2025: There are obligations in Schedule 1, Part 3 of the Wholesale Retailer Code (WRC) Operational Terms (v25.0), Process H7 (Vacancy incentive scheme) that require retailers to contact the customer who has occupied a vacant premises and inform it that it will be billed as a non-household customer. Similarly the Retail Exit Code (REC) (section 4.1) requires retailers to write to customers within 2 months of commencement of supply informing them of the market and their right to switch retailer. Options for confirming this activity may fall within MOSL's market audit function.

 

April 2025: Changes to the Customer Protection Code of Practice (CPCoP) from 17 April 2025 require retailers to highlight to customers the ability to switch or renegotiate on bills. There is, however, no reference to retailers writing to new businesses but the Wholesale Retail Code (WRC) requires retailers to contact the customer when a vacant site becomes occupied. RWG will ask retailers if they doing this? Ofwat to consider if this needs to be in the next CPCoP release.

31 March 2026

Flagged

R2. Issue end contract notices Retailer licences require retailers to inform customers as they approach the end of their contract, what their consumption has been, what tariffs they are on, what services they have received and how much they have paid for them so that they can exercise their option to compare prices and service and chose an alternative supplier and (if they are no longer on the deemed rate) are not at risk of remaining on high standard variable rates. Licence changes to be driven by Ofwat. 

June 2025: No change from April 2025: Ofwat is gathering annual statements of compliance with the CPCoP from retailers. Any non-compliances will be investigated by Ofwat and instances of enforcement communicated as appropriate. Panel is monitoring the impact of this on the customer base through market indicators.

 

April 2025: The Customer Protection Code of Practice (CPCoP) from April 2025 requires that: If a customer's Terms and Conditions of Supply are due to expire, the retailer must write to the customer at least 30 calendar days before the expiry date. MOSL will ask Ofwat and CCW how this will be monitored.

31 March 2027

Delivered and under review

R3. Self-certify compliance with list of fields/information to be included on or with customer bills Retailers to self-certify their compliance to providing the agreed information on or with customers’ bills. Customers should clearly understand their tariffs, consumption, contract end dates and their retailers obligations so they can base their choice of supplier on accurate information.

June 2025: No Change from April 2025: CCW will monitor compliance with the Customer Protection Code of Practice (CPCoP) requirements through complaints (see roadmap action C1). Ofwat is gathering annual statements of compliance with the CPCoP from retailers. Any non-compliances will be investigated by Ofwat and instances of enforcement communicated as appropriate. Panel is monitoring the impact of this on the customer base through market indicators.

 

April 2025: The Customer Protection Code of Practice (CPCoP) changes that came into force in April 2025 define minimum information to be included on bills. CCW will monitor these through complaints (see roadmap action C1). 

31 March 2027

Delivered and under review

R4. Retailers offer tariffs to incentivise demand side response nationally Retailers and wholesalers to work more closely with each other to deliver financially viable smart retailer tariffs (enabled by smart technology) which allow customers to manage their demand more efficiently by offering time or volume based incentives to any of their sites.

June 2025: Tariffs that could drive demand reduction are currently restricted by: rigid caps under price controls, high complexity and inconsistency in wholesale tariffs, a regulatory framework focused on customer protection rather than behavioral incentives, and a weak retail price signal relative to the wholesale component. This action implies a metric by which the retailers can prove that their customers have reduced demand and claim a subsidy. These factors together limit the market’s ability to use pricing as a tool to reduce water consumption. The Baringa report commissioned by the RWG is expected to provide more insight into this action and will be presented to the Panel in September.

 

April 2025: RWG will provide an update after their in-person meeting on 24 June 2025.

31 March 2028

On schedule

R5. Share accurate, granular consumption data Granular consumption data can be paired with customer segmentation data and shared so that conclusions around the efficient use of water can be made by the retailer and other retailers and appropriate actions can be taken with the customer.

June 2025: This is dependent on Strategic Panel action P3 (Smart Meter Data Hub). 

 

April 2025: RWG will provide an update after their in-person meeting on 24 June 2025.

31 March 2029

On schedule

For more information on how other stakeholders are progressing with their actions, please follow the links below. 

Panel Roadmap actions

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Ofwat Roadmap actions

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MOSL Roadmap actions

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Wholesaler Roadmap actions

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Defra Roadmap actions

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CCW Roadmap actions

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