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Phone lines will close from Friday 29 April for the Easter holiday, reopening on Monday 1 April at 8am for customers in Scotland, and on Tuesday 2 April at 8am for customers in England. Log in or register to manage your account online, access the Help Centre, or use the webchat service. For water supply emergencies, click here.

Castle Water Merger With Affinity For Business: Customer FAQs

Q: What has happened?

A: Castle Water has merged with Affinity for Business who currently supply water and wastewater services to 50,000 business customers throughout the UK. As a customer, you do not need to do anything.

Q: Will my bill change now?

A: There will be no change to your water charges.

Q: Who is Castle Water?

A: Castle Water is a leading UK business water retailer and has already successfully taken over the provision of retail services to over 350,000 customers in England. Castle Water has expertise in account management and in providing retail services tailored for business customers. Castle Water operates all customer services from within the United Kingdom. You can visit castlewater.co.uk to find out more.

Q: Who is Affinity for Business?

A: Affinity for Business is a UK water retailer with around 50,000 business customers. You can visit affinityforbusiness.co.uk to find out more.

Q: Why has Castle Water merged with Affinity for Business?

A: Castle Water has the scale and experience to build on the progress Affinity for Business has made and can offer a wide range of services including an online self-serve customer portal, free water efficiency advice as well as a variety of additional water management services such as leak detection and Automatic Meter Reading (AMR). Both companies are working closely together to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of service for customers.

Q: Will the level of service customers receive change now?

A: Castle Water and Affinity for Business share a high standard of customer service as shown by the very similar high ratings of customer service on Trustpilot.

Q: What are retail services?

A: Retail services include meter reading, billing, customer service, collection and account management. Castle Water will provide all of these services to you going forward.

Q: How was I notified about this change?

A: Customers were sent a joint (postal) letter from Affinity for Business and Castle Water informing them about the merger taking place on 1 April 2020. Customers will also receive a welcome letter from Castle Water very soon, outlining key information. If you would like to update your contact information, please call us on 01250 718700, contact us here or use our webchat service at castlewater.co.uk.

Q: Will my water wholesaler stay the same?

A: Your existing wholesale services are unchanged, and your water network owner will continue to provide wholesale services after 31 March including:

  • Maintaining the water network
  • Managing the physical supply of water to a business
  • Treating wastewater and returning it to the environment

Wholesale services and prices are regulated by Ofwat.

Q: When did the merger between Castle Water and Affinity for Business happen?

A: The merger took place on 1 April 2020.

Q: Do I need to do anything?

A: No. You do not need to take any action on receiving this update about your services.

Q: Will my bills go up?

A: Your charges will not change as a result of the merger.  The price you pay for water and waste services will be no higher than the default charges set by Ofwat. You can view the relevant Scheme of Charges at: castlewater.co.uk/info.

Q:  What happens to my Direct Debit arrangement?

A: If you currently pay for your bills via Direct Debit, you don’t need to do anything.

Q: If I pay by online banking, BACS or standing order, what happens to my payments?

A: You should continue to make payments to Affinity for Business for any bills issued by Affinity for Business up to and including 31 March 2020.

Payments for bills issued by Castle Water from 1 April 2020 should be paid into the account noted below:

  • Sort code: 40-11-60
  • Account number: 80161942

If you pay digitally, please amend the payment details to these on your online banking platform.

Q: What happens if I pay by cheque using the giro slip on my bill. Will I still be able to do this?

A: No. There will be no giro pay-in slip on bills sent by Castle Water from 1 April 2020 as Castle Water only supplies non-household customers. Castle Water bills will include a pre-paid envelope, so customers can post their cheque payments to Castle Water free of charge. Remember to write your customer account number and postcode on the back of your cheque so that your account can be credited in a timely manner.

Q: Can I still use my Affinity for Business online account?

A: Yes, you will still be able to use your E-Billing account, however it will be read only. If you used Affinity for Business’s online portal, Castle Water will create an account for you on their own portal in due course so that you can still continue to manage your account online. Castle Water will contact you with your new sign-in details.

Q: I have a signed contract with Affinity for Business. What happens now?

A: Your contract will not change.

Q: Who should I call if I have a water quality issue?

A: For issues relating to the quality of water, if you have a water outage or a problem with wastewater, you should call Castle Water on 01250 718700 directly. We’re open from Monday to Friday, 8am – 6pm. Outside normal office hours, in an emergency, you can contact your water network owner directly. Emergency contact information can be found at castlewater.co.uk/emergencies.

Q: Who do I call if I have a billing query?

A: For questions relating to bills or your account after 1 April 2020, you should contact Castle Water. Castle Water’s Customer Services are open Monday to Friday from 8am – 6pm.

Q: Can I choose to switch water and wastewater supplier?

A: Yes, you can switch supplier at any time however, with Castle Water, customers can benefit from a high standard of customer service and our expertise in market-leading systems. To find out more about switching, visit open-water.org.uk. Customers will be required to pay any outstanding charges before switching.