57.This section, which is based on section 66 of the 1994 Act, provides for Scottish Water to prepare and observe a code of practice, referred to as “the customer standards code”, in relation to its core functions.
58.Subsection (1) places a duty on Scottish Water to prepare and then submit to the Commissioner a customer standard code covering customer service standards, procedures for dealing with complaints and the payment of compensation. The first code is to be submitted to the Commissioner by the time Scottish Water submits its first charges scheme to the Commissioner (subsection (2)). The code can be varied from time to time and replaced with a new one (subsection (3)). The code comes into force when it is approved (subsection (4)). The procedure for approval is specified at section 27.
59.Subsection (5) places a duty on Scottish Water to endeavour to observe the approved code; but contravention will not of itself give rise to civil or criminal liability. Scottish Water must inform its customers of the contents of a code (subsection (6)).
60.Subsection (7) places on the Commissioner the duty to monitor Scottish Water’s compliance with an approved code. It also gives the Commissioner the powers to report to the Scottish Ministers on compliance and to require Scottish Water to review a code.