EAST MIDLANDS WATER COMPANY LIMITED Reviews 

I attended the Ideal Home show in London and EMWC had a sales stand. After a long conversation with one of the team of two men I was given a price for a water softener but was hesitant as it was pricier than most of their rivals. Sensing my hesitation the salesman said we had nothing to lose as he would send a message to the office stating a full refund if we change our minds. A couple of days later we did have a change of mind and I called the office but had to leave a voice mail. Nobody responded to this, so I also sent an email, again no reply until I chased. A couple of weeks later I was eventually given a refund but 5% (£65) was kept back. I queried this and waited another 10 days for a response again after chasing them. They are refusing to refund me the £65 stating it's in their T&C's and refusing to believe their salesman had said this to me at the Ideal Home. Steer well clear of this company.

Thanks to Emma for her help and advice sorting out replacement parts for the installation kit even before she'd had her morning coffee

As an existing customer from years ago I contacted East Midlands Water Company for technical advice with regard to a problem I was experiencing with my old (2006) water softener. Realising the age & condition of said softener I ordered a new Harvey non electric softener. The lady I spoke to was extremely helpful & even supplied a new drain & overflow hose free of charge. The unit arrived promptly & well packaged.

Polite and efficient

After paying the full money for the Unit, it was delivered the next day and I have had it installed 1 day after.
I am waiting to set it up and see how it works.
Hopefully no too complicated.

Easy to install. Quick to arrive.

The water softener was delivered promptly and well packaged.
It is best to read the instructions thoroughly to ensure you have a complete understanding of the way forward.
Having unwrapped and checked all the parts are there then proceed.
The front dial fixture was a bit vague but all in all it went together well.
Having commissioned it I was surprised that instead of a clock (as my previous softener) it included a water meter usage which highlights when it will regenerate next - 4** for this
I have had the water softener a week now and it carried out the regeneration to plan.
Have had soft water all week .
I would recommend this softener

The sales team at East Midlands Water Company were helpful and knowledgeable.

This is how they draw you in. After a 15-minute conversation, I placed an order for £2,500, provided my credit card details, and thought nothing of it.

Shortly after, I received a call from their Finance team asking for a screenshot of my online bank account to verify my ID because I had requested delivery to a different address (a site address). This is a huge red flag and not a legitimate financial security check. I refused and immediately asked for my order to be cancelled.

One month later, I checked my credit card statement and found that the company had taken the £2,500 despite my cancellation request. They are now refusing to refund me unless I initiate a chargeback through my bank. My bank has advised that this situation appears to be fraudulent, and I have had to raise an official investigation.

I have emailed the company five times and spoken to multiple people, yet they refuse to acknowledge the issue. Their insistence on a bank screenshot as proof of identity is not standard financial practice. It is unacceptable and raises serious concerns.

At this point, I have reported the company to the police, the Financial Conduct Authority, Visa, and my bank. I now have to clear my credit card balance while waiting for the investigation to be completed.

I fully expect them to respond with a long-winded explanation about their "standard procedures"—but let me be clear: asking for a bank screenshot is NOT a legitimate way to check ID.

Update
Expected response below. They still haven't refunded the £2500 which is now significantly over the 14 days in their own refund policy.
I have had a response from Citizen Advise explaining East Midlands Water is in the wrong and have no right to hold on the refund. I have been advised to write a letter and give them 14 days to respond before taking further legal action. All whilst the bank and other bodies do their investigations.

I've gone to a lot of trouble to highlight their bad practices if I had found the card on the street, and I certainly wouldn't be asking for a refund.
Read Google reviews it's not just me this has happened too!

**update**
East Midlands Water Company after the threat of legal action, and an investigation from the credit card company, Police fraud etc.. have finally refunded me. No apology though.

It wasn’t “great”. It was what I asked for: deliver my paid-for salt blocks. mot exactly rocket surgery. If they’d have left a cupcake I might have giver a higher

The lady I spoke with was very helpful and knowledgeable.
The water softener was delivered the next day and I was kept informed of the delivery schedule.
Excellent service

I purchased your water filtration system based on a trusted recommendation, intending to improve my family’s drinking water quality. However, I was not informed of the significant installation challenges before purchase. After consulting multiple plumbers, I learned that installation would require either replacing my current tap—which is positioned awkwardly, limiting my options for a 3-way tap—or drilling an additional hole into my hard-marble kitchen surface. Given these constraints, I had no viable option but to return the product.

While this system worked for my friend, she was renovating her house and could tailor the setup accordingly. In my case, I believe the sales process should have provided a clearer explanation to allow for a more informed decision. Instead, I was merely given vague assurances that plumbers would be able to "sort things out," without any specifics about potential installation difficulties.

I contacted your customer service number within 14 days to request a return and refund and was advised to send an email, with no mention of urgency or a strict timeline. Despite following this advice, I was later informed that I was only eligible for store credit rather than a monetary refund, as I had not emailed within 14 days. The explanation provided was that the 14-day return policy is "within the allowance of the law" and comparable to retailers such as John Lewis. However, unlike general retail products, water treatment systems require professional installation, making it unrealistic for customers to assess feasibility within such a short timeframe without a plumber readily available.

The return process has been significantly more complicated than the purchasing process, which I find concerning. It took me considerable effort—consulting multiple plumbers and visiting a kitchen and bathroom supplier—to fully understand the challenges involved. Clearer pre-purchase information and a more transparent return policy would help ensure a better customer experience. Additionally, I had to spend £4.99 on a wrapping bag and £18.55 to return the product via the "recommended" registered post service, adding to the overall cost and inconvenience.

If you are a regular consumer without plumbing expertise or a plumber in your immediate family, I would strongly advise against purchasing from this "supply-only" company. There are plenty of alternative water treatment systems that include installation support, making the process far more straightforward for customers.

This company is a fraudulent company. I was "sweet-talked" to buy the water softener. They agreed to pay for the plumber and extended guarantee, but later denied everything once they got the payment is full. They delivered the product and even today, I have not received the money back. They are cheats.

We bought a water softener last year and we have been delighted with it. The service we had from the company was really good - happy to recommend them.

Rang up the company for advice in order to replace an old unit.
The one I bought was much smaller than the old unit - so much neater.
It's only been in a day but it seems to be good.
Delivery was prompt too.

** The first unit developed a hairline crack and leaked, but did not real damage. The company sent out another unit and advised a shock arrestor to be fitted.

Another visit by the plumber - the second unit leaked, the result is that we now need a new kitchen floor.
We have had the whole thing taken out and more new piping to get it back to it's original state.
I'm very disappointed indeed, I would not recommend and it's certainly put me off under the sink filters.

I have RO filter from this company and, recently I bought the filter replacements that didn’t fit the original fitting, they never replied to my email, but then I used live chat to explain situation, and instead off to come up with solutions how to sort this out, they told me stories about sick staff, short of staff, they never came back to me with suggestions. Anyway they lost me as a customer and my recommendations

Quick & efficient service. Ordered one day & received it the next day.

Poor post service sales . Plumber found a leak in the system and was rectified by him with parts from the company.

Then I realised there are another leak. Spoke to the company and asked sort this out with parts and labour .

They sent me a 4 way valve and that’s it . Refused to pay for labour or take the system back . My experience is with them awful .

I wrote to customer service but no reply. They are claiming that I am rude with them . I wasted my £400 on the product. Please avoid this company and the product is no way near DIY . So think about my experience before buying this product.

Great service as usual

Quick delivery
Well packaged
No issues

Easy to install with good instructions and the best water I have tasted despite coming from Glacier watered Norway