Thames Water has launched an appeal to allow it to increase bills by more than the regulator wants to permit. The UK's largest utility company is calling on the competition regulator to overturn a decision from the water industry regulator, Ofwat, which caps bill rises at 35% over the next five years.

Woman without water for three days calls Thames Water bill hike proposal ‘greed’ - Several Thames Water customers have been without water for days after a water pipe burst.

British utility Thames Water lodged an appeal to the country's competition regulator on Friday, beginning a process to try to raise the prices it can charge customers for the next five years and improve its chances of survival.

Troubled Thames Water has appealed against an inflation-busting price rise agreed by regulator Ofwat, arguing it was doing so “in the interests of our customers and the environment"

Thames Water is asking the Competition and Markets Authority to review Ofwat's decision after previously lobbying for a 59 per cent bills increase

The UK's largest household supplier gives several reasons for seeking even higher hikes to its bills from April for the next five years.

It said steeper increases than the 35% already granted over the next five years is ‘in the interests of our customers and the environment’.

Industry regulator Ofwat has capped bill rises for the firm at 35% over the next five years. Thames Water has now urged the competition regulator to overturn the decision from the