Queensland Urban Utilities

Trying to build a suburban retaining wall and submitted drawings early Nov 25. After follow-up informed outcome NOT DUE until mid Feb. Received review which required one small detail of concrete post foundation. After resubmission told to wait another 3 months for DUE DATE of outcome. And we ask why construction takes so long. Outrageous service.

So wild for Australia to have water tasting like mud in Wynnum West all the time I live here. I can't drink water without filter. Is it everywhere in Brisbane that water tastes like mud and rotten dirt and has rotten smell. It was never an issue in NSW and Gold Coast.

Urban utilities did a metre upgrade/change for our entire complex. There was reports of a few leaks immediately after the change. I had a leak a month or so after, I called them to advise I had similar issues to my neighbours which they repaired. After several weeks of chasing them to check out the leak at the metre they finally sent someone out… Read more

to check to only advise the metre was running and it wasn’t their problem and to engage a plumber to fix. I did this and was advised by my plumber when they did the change they cut the pipe to short and over winter it contradicted causing the leak. Thanks to these peoples incompetence I’m now out of pocket $380. Pathetic

Maintaining social responsibility through customer satisfaction – Does this page have an impact on the company (UU)? as in maintaining good social responsibility through customer satisfaction? I am an international student wanting to get a view of what the company is doing about the reviews for my sustainability enterprise assignment.

Thanks Joe – I'm the owner of 15 Andree pl wishart. I was so pleased to have your staff Joe today. He helped me a lot to sort the leaking water issue. He attempted lots of way when his camera couldn't go through the pipe junction. He's awful and showed enough patient to the customer.

UPDATE: ***THANK YOU to Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ) and the Product Review team*** – Not sure HOW to post an update to my earlier review when the representatives of Urban Review didn't comment/ respond on here... apologies ahead of time - but feel it's important to post for the community given I found a helpful escalation point for water troubles in QLD/ BCC area. UPDATE: ***THANK YOU to Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland… Read more

(EWOQ) and the Product Review team***

Resolved.

Well, sort of.

Had my water mains turned off at last after it leaked 109L!!!

Over the months after complaining to Urban Utilities with no resolution; I tried emailing: - Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner - no reply except for the automated thing. - Local councillor - ditto. - Legal Services & community advocates, as well as the news media - have to say, they've been pretty impressive with their knowledge and response times given the huge amount of people asking for their help. Fortunately, my internet trawling found EWOQ around the same time, so didn't pursue the avenues/ options suggested, but appreciated everyone's input/ thoughts!!

Very relieved as 109L may not seem much to Urban Utilities - but if I had to haul it I'd need a trolley as it'd be 109 x 1L bottles!!

I find really weird that an organisation that supposedly is into helping people with water conservation didn't really care about the leak?! (it took ALOT of emails to even get the water turned off. Was stressing ALOT as my weak arthritic hands couldn't turn it off no matter how I tried).

QLD Urban Utilities certainly didn't flag that EWOQ could and would help when Urban Utilities proved intractable. Pretty interesting given banks are required to flag AFCA as an escalation point after normal complaints process. Emailing Urban Utilities was like emailing a brick wall. Urban Utilities just kept repeating variations that the new water metre leaks were 'accurate' even after I explained via email (I can't speak, no phone) that my taps are ALL permanently turned off and I've lived off-grid since late 2020 after escaping DV.

According to my testing, the 'old' water metre was actually 100% accurate cos it recorded nil unless I tested the system by flushing the loo, 6-7 litres each time every few months!! (I kept logs). Urban Utilities blamed the leak on the system, and indicated the nil leakage up until they updated to 'old' metre being 'faulty'; but I pointed out I tested the system, kept logs, and asked if they scientifically tested their old water metre to support their claim? Crickets.

Then suddenly Urban Utilities did a 180 degree turn - didn't mention EWOQ's investigation after one of my scattergun emails; but I gather that's what changed the trajectory and got them to finally, finally, turn the leaky water metre off! (this was after they did another isolation water metre thing that increased the daily leak from 1L per day to 1.5L per day! I kept asking them: who uses 1L per day?!! A single toilet flush at my place uses 6-7L - how many times does a person need to go to the loo each day?? Hmm?!!)

Maybe in another decade or so, I'll get a water metre that doesn't leak when Urban Utilities update it?!!

Like other submissions on Product Review and other forums have suggested, Urban Utilities aren't very good at their job. I shudder to think what other problems they are brushing beneath the carpet if this is how my complaint turned out, and it wouldn't have been anywhere near resolved without EWOQ's intervention. All I can say is privatisation seems a likely solution - at least things will more likely get maintained properly, and there'd be decent escalation and other due processes. Right now, it's abit like the Wild West. They do what they please unless you manage to locate and pull the EWOQ into the equation. And as I said earlier, Urban Utilities don't tell people about EWOQ (even when I asked for another esclaation point after their complaints process fell over! Hence why I tried the pollies, to no avail. Lucky for me the internet came through!).

Call them first – Urban Utilities helped clear a blocked drain quickly, friendly, efficiently, cleanly, etc. etc. Honestly the best service I've experienced in a long time. Kudos to the plumber, Nic! I had a plumber from a different company out the previous day which cost me over $1,000 and he was unable to clear the blockage with his jet rodder. He then quoted me… Read more

another $7,000 to dig up pipes and attempt further repairs. Urban Utilities attended site within an hour of my call and cleared the blockage with a mechanical rotating tool within another hour at a fraction of the price. Will definitely call them first next time!

PAY UP & SHUT UP: Urban Utilities Ducks for Cover on Call Out Over Sneaky Price Hike – Queensland Urban Utilities in their propaganda publication ‘Pipeline’, included with every Water and Sewerage Quarterly Account, purport to ‘Clean Safe Water’, ‘Protecting the environment’ and ‘Supporting the Vulnerable’. Few would contest Urban Utilities claim to Clean Safe Water . But awkwardly their publicly raised rhetoric of the… Read more

‘Vulnerable’ being graciously offered hardship intervention highlights the alarming trend of those struggling on low income to meet their financial obligations to Urban Utilities constantly escalating demands. We are one such low income Household to which Urban Utilities advised ‘Pricing Changes’ (Read Increase) for the 2024 Financial Year. A 5.2% increase would add around $19 to a Quarterly bill, they advised.

Low income, to minimise expense we use little town water. Considerably below the Brisbane average. Ironically Urban Utilities encourage all to this practice, despite unconscionably still charging crippling amounts to reticulate same, struggling they whine, to service an aging infrastructure to an increasingly populated and drought prone SE Queensland catchment.

Nevertheless a compounding of our water-wise practise with the Urban Utilities 12.68% Sewerage charge hike, meant that our Households projected 2024 Financial Year obligation was to be not a 5.2% increase as advertised, but a projected 10.4% increase. THIS REPRESENTS A 100% INCREASE to that advised in 'Pipeline'. On our bill it will amount to just under $100 extra Per Annum.

Contacting Urban Utilities I was met with an amount of indignation and it was made verbally clear by their representative AW, that Urban Utilities were recovering no more than that outlaid on services. Further, given our Household’s form on contacting Urban Utilities re ‘affordability’ issues, AW broached the ‘possibility of halting further conversation’. She added any future dialogue likely ‘wasting staff’s time and resources. ‘

Seeking written confirmation of our Household’s 'possible' ban on ‘affordability’ issues, Urban Utilities clearly on the defensive did not responded to several further Email’s or call back requests, instead sending me two Customer Satisfaction Survey links to their lap dog Q & A Market Research. It was now apparent Urban Utilities had removed the ‘possibility’ in the ‘halting of further conversation’ and had now flagged our account as delinquent in regard any affordability related issue. It is not too difficult to understand the underlying endemic arrogance of Urban Utilities. As a monopolistic semi autonomous water/sewage provider, users are forbidden to disconnect their service even if they are able. Indeed a quarterly Invoice will continue and accrue daily exorbitant 11% compounding interest if not paid in timely manner. Reminiscent perhaps of an publicly unelected dictatorship. Indeed earlier, our local elected representative (Chandler Ward) had already referred our Household back to Urban Utilities. Prudently insulating himself from involvement or criticism.

I’m reminded the fate of 18th century Parisian, Marie Antoinette, who famously quipped ‘Let them eat cake!’ in response to peasants no longer able to afford the basics of life. In their case it was bread, in ours Water and Sewage. Urban Utilities Customer Complaints staff such as AW and the ineffective ‘Manager of Customer Experience’ TM, need to be aware of the increasingly impoverished of their captive clients who struggle to pay their wage and avoid treating such inquiry with such thinly veiled contempt. Even if just for appearances sake both women might be more obsequious to the Urban Utilities corporate spiel ‘We’re Helping Vulnerable Customers’. Disingenuous as that clearly is.

Urban Utilities : Affordability, Zero Stars : Customer Experience, Zero Stars

Written Mount Gravatt East 26th October 2023.

Update January 2024 : On 27th October 2023, the day after the above review was originally submitted for publication, Urban Utilities 'AW' made phone contact, claiming 'TM', the 'Manager of Customer Experience', had been on leave during my communications. AW requested I resubmit communication sent during this time. It is beyond belief Urban Utilities staff would not have known of this 'leave' during the several times I had phoned them and being left holding to talk to or request call-back from 'TM'. Also, what about Urban Utilities Brand Manager's work email during her apparent absence? Was this not being monitored, redirected or returned to sender with the customary 'Out of Office' attached?

I have since requested 'JG' at Kantar (Urban Utilities 'Q & A Market Research' Customer Surveys sub-contractor) to pass on copy of this review, to which he emailed me to of done so. . . But still silence from Urban Utilities.

Urban Utilities, you are truly appalling and pathetic. Your monopolistic autocratic rule over the South East's Water and Sewage certainly needs to be more politically influenced and accountable. Certainly not the unelected dictatorship being currently wielded.

Disgusting business practices – Your Urban Utilities water bills are so high because they pay their staff to do ordinary maintenance work on Sunday nights and public holidays. I know this because for the last 5 weeks, Urban Utilities has been upgrading their pipes in my street, and all the work has been done at night - Sunday through Thursday between 7pm and 5am in the morning.… Read more

The work is scheduled to go for 3 months, and they did a previous three month stint in the same street late last year. Even with noise cancelling headphones, it is impossible to block out the bitumen cutting noise and jackhammering and other construction noise that goes all night until around 5am. No regard whatsoever for the fact that people have to go to work or school the next day after getting no sleep. The contempt Urban Utilities has for the public is disgusting. There needs to be an enquiry into why Urban Utilities is allowed to do this sort of noisy work at night, and why they are not trying to minimise their costs (which are passed onto customers) by doing this work during normal daylight hours.

Worst admin ever – Bought a place and was sent a bill for $656 for two quarters, from before I owned it. Was told the bill 'went with the land, not the owner' and that the overdue bill 'would have been taken out of settlement' so I would be responsible for paying. I knew it had not been taken out of the settlement figures and was told I needed to provide proof.… Read more

After two, long phone calls to UU and several emails to my solicitor to contact seller's solicitor, then sellers, chasing settlement figures and receipts, turns out the overdue bill had been paid a month prior over BPAY and not 'updated on the account'. How on earth does a BPAY payment not get immediately credited to an account?? What a waste of everyone's time because they can't even track their own bank payments.

Urban utilities. Ipswich. 4305 – I have have very poor pressure from my front garden tap . It is so bad now it is just a drip . I have had 2 independent plumbers look at my tap etc but they could not find a problem with the tap . Rang Urban Utilities and was no help at all .

Absolutely useless – We had high usage recorded on our water bills, over 450lt per day. Urban utilities replaced the meter and suddenly the water usage dropped by %72 per quarter, contacted them and they refused to do an investigation. To prevent being ripped off I installed a 5000 gal tank filled it with rain water and shut off the mains water at the meter. The… Read more

latest bill showed 45lt per day being used. Contacted them and was told it would cost $265 for them to check the meter, non refundable!! Well that's one way to stop any complaints getting investigated!

Instant Chat good – Urban Utilites instant chat (Wanda) has promptly helped me on two occasions after our recent house move. I usually find instant chats cumbersome; generic and pretty useless. However, on these two occasions I have been so impressed I needed to write a review.

Water quality – Moved to Kooralbyn QLD a few months ago, love it. But the water there has disgusting taste and smell, impossible to drink to take a bath or wash the face in the morning. This water is full of chemical things, I need to use more and more shampoo to wash my hair and make it to look clean. I bought a water filter, put the water in a freezer just to… Read more

make it drinkable, unfortunately this does not help much and I buy water at the supermarket. I am not sure that anyone will read this review, anyway Happy New Year and I wish you to have clean water in your homes!

Utterly shocking organisation – Bought a property in December 2019 and didnt receive a bill from them. Thought to reach out 10 months later to be greeted with over $1000 of bills including overdue interest payments. Speak to customer service who make several excuses as to why no bill has been sent out including them sending the bills to previous address, which is untrue given… Read more

friends live in this property and havent recieved any.

Advise I want to pay it back over the course of a longer period of time and receive rather pointed emails from the "recovery team" advising my account is overdue.

This all down to UU failing to send bills out.

Seems we are stuck with them due to them being a government organisation. Unfortunately they are badly run, dont take ownership of mistakes and treat customers terribly

Wrong Meter Read - Our Fault !! – We phoned to query our bill as it was twice as high as it should have been. QUU advised that we must have a massive water leak on our side of the water meter. We panicked & phoned an emergency plumber to find this water leak. We paid 500 hundred dollars for the call out & pressure test to find out that QUU had miss read the meter by more than 50… Read more

kilo litres. We phoned QUU, no apology, just told to send an email with our account details & a photo of the meter. That was 2 weeks ago, still no response. I find their business model of blaming the customer & making the customer responsible for sorting out their mistakes completely discussing. So far QUU mistake has cost us over 1200 dollars for the plumber & not reading the meter correctly over several billing periods, simply not good enough.

Terrible – Extremely slow in everything they do. We opened on line account and it should be easy just to down load the bills. Two weeks later one of our property STILL not showing any bills so we can download. We contacted QUU by phone and someone there promised to escalate and fix the problems. Nothing happened a week later, also we have sent couple of… Read more

emails and today without response.

IT SHOULD BE JUST A SIMPLE SOLUTION.

In a business world this QUU will not last considering how slow and inefficient they operate.

They shut off the water – QUU turned of the water after a mains water supply was broken on Mary Street Brisbane May 2015. They never gave us a warning although they were working on it for hours.. Since 4.00am. Our supply was cut off with no warning at 7.15 am. We were only alerted when the coffee machine and our two rational ovens started to beep and burnt the motors. … Read more

QUU rep came and saw at approximately 8am and apologised for the mistake and the inconvenience.

She told us we can and should claim for our losses. We raised the claim only for their insurance LGM to refuse and say that QUU acted within the law and legislation.

So who pays for my losses??

And I am still waiting for the bottled water