Business Energy Comparison
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If you move into new business premises, then a deemed contract will normally be in place from the former occupant’s or developer’s chosen supplier. This can be for gas, electricity or both if you have not agreed a different contract with a supplier. A deemed contract may also exist if an existing contract has come to an end but the customer continues to consume energy. Costs of deemed contracts are on average 80% more than rates charged in a negotiated contract. Around 10% of micro-businesses are on deemed contracts.

New business occupants have the right to switch away from a deemed contract to a supplier and tariff of their choice at any time.

This is when a business gas or electricity supplier rolls you over onto a new contract. This can happen seemingly without your knowledge at the end of your contract. If you wish to leave your contract, you must notify your supplier. You must do this before the end of the notice period.

A Change of Tenancy occurs when your company is moving into or out of commercial premises.

As a new tenant, you must agree to a new contract either with the existing business energy supplier or a new supplier of your choice. You may decide to use a price comparison site to compare business energy quotes. They can even help you seek a more competitive tariff with the existing provider. If you are the tenant moving out, you must keep your supplier informed of your situation.

Yes. If you decide to switch your provider, you must inform your existing supplier. You can do this directly. Alternatively, your comparison company or third-party intermediary (TPI) can do it for you. In this case, you must sign and supply a Letter of Authority (LoA).

Using an energy comparison site or third-party intermediary (TPI) can help you find the best energy supplier. However, you must sign a Letter of Authority (LoA). This is a recognised legal document. It allows a broker to purchase energy and liaise with a supplier on your behalf and with your permission. Put simply, an LoA allows your new supplier to cancel your existing tariff. As well as setting up a more competitive new one.

The Letter of Authority (LoA) follows a standard format. It states that a third party can gather information, negotiate and submit the notice of termination on your behalf. However, it does not give the right to agree to a contract without your consent. You must sign the Letter of Authority.

An MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) is the number that identifies your electricity supply. It's sometimes referred to as a 'Supply Number' or 'S Number'. This unique meter code helps suppliers locate your business property and is found on your old statements. This is a problem if you don't have an electricity bill. In this case, your supplier or local distributor can tell you what it is.

MPRNs (Meter Point Reference Numbers) are the equivalent reference for gas and will also be found on your gas bills. They have 6 to 8 digits and are sometimes called an 'M Number'. A supplier or local distributor can tell you what your MPRN is if you cannot find it.

A commercial smart meter supplies data about how much energy your company uses. This can prevent inaccurate bills as suppliers will no longer need to rely on estimated costs.

You may require a multi-site meter to track business energy use if your company is a large corporate entity and operates from multiple locations. This can help you to manage your consumption more efficiently.

Switching to get the best price for your business can become time-consuming and complicated if you are using different suppliers for different sites. This is especially the case when tariffs are due for renewal at different times. A multi-site meter means you are on one tariff with one bill across your sites. We can help you compare business energy quotes from suppliers and switch to get the most competitive deal possible for your multi-site meter.

Corporate procurement is designed specifically to help larger businesses manage and maintain their energy.

Because every contract is for a fixed amount of time, you're tied to the business energy agreement until it expires, and you can't cancel or change it. The time frame will depend on your agreement, with 12 months usually being the minimum for business energy. Smaller businesses receive reminders about when their contract is due to expire. This is the point at which you can search for a cheaper deal. If you find a deal that you prefer with a different supplier, you can accept it and inform your existing supplier that you want to close your account. Once your business energy contract expires, you will be sent a final bill to pay and may be asked to send a final meter reading.

A small business's average annual utility bill (gas and electricity) ranges from £2,700 to £4,300. For a micro business, this is £950 per year to £2,500, and £4,800 to £7,000+ on average for a medium business.

There are differences between residential and business energy tariffs. As businesses tend to use more energy than residential homes, better rates can often be negotiated for commercial energy. However, there are other costs associated with business energy bills, such as a higher rate of VAT (which can be claimed back by VAT-registered businesses) and the Climate Change Levy (CCL).

There are certainly more commercial savings to be made with business energy rather than domestic or residential tariffs. Commercial contracts can last anything from 28 days to 5 years. During this time, your business is locked into the fixed term, meaning that, with suppliers chasing your business, there are opportunities, once your current business energy term has ended, to access cheap deals and make larger savings.

Significant financial savings can be made by using a comparison service to compare energy for small business owners, which will compare deals on gas and electricity and make a switch that benefits their needs. Using a price comparison site can make this process even quicker and easier.

At BusinessComparison, we offer a free energy comparison service. Why not compare and save more money on over 150 commercial tariffs with us today?

Business customers who want to choose a green energy provider can do so, provided a suitable supplier can service their premises.

Opting for green energy may not be the most cost-effective solution for your business, but if you're committed to finding an environmentally-friendly solution, then it may be possible to find the right supplier for you. You could enhance your energy saving further by installing commercial solar panels, or you could consider microgeneration.

Find out more about renewable energy for businesses.

When choosing the best energy deal for your business, you might have the option to either pay a tariff or a standing charge that costs the same amount regardless of usage.

A standing charge is a fixed amount that is charged no matter how much energy your use, whilst a tariff means you will only pay for your consumption. Which option is cheapest and best for you will depend on the type of company you run, along with other factors such as its location and how much energy it needs to operate.

We can help you get competitive business energy quotes based on your company’s specific use and requirements.

Undoubtedly, businesses can benefit from much more competitive pricing than those looking for domestic utilities. There are many reasons for this, it's in part because some commercial electricity contracts last for as long as five years - making it easier for suppliers to offer long-term deals.

How much you stand to save by switching energy providers will depend on lots of factors, including its size, status, and location. That being said, by using BusinessComparison to find a better deal, our users save an average of £446 each per year - which works out to around 40% of their bill.

Switching providers can be seamless, but it's important to make arrangements with your new supplier early to guarantee that there's no crossover period where your company is moved onto a deemed rate.

Switching your supplier can take much longer than switching between domestic suppliers, with an average switch time of four to six weeks. This will depend on where your premises are located, the particulars of your current commercial energy supply agreement, and other similar factors.

All we need to get started on finding a better tariff is your postcode, name, email address, and phone number.

It can help us find the best deals if you can confirm who your current electricity or gas provider is. It is also useful to know how much you spend on your business energy in pounds or use in kilowatts (kWh). These details aren't essential, though. You'll still be able to search for a cheaper tariff without them.

One of the main differences between business and domestic electricity tariffs is that businesses usually pay the same, fixed rate throughout their contract. Because of this, businesses are often better protected from price rises than domestic customers.

It's often the case that businesses use much more energy than your average household, which is part of the reason that commercial and domestic electricity supply works so differently.

Businesses often tie themselves into a tariff for a long period of time. So, it's even more important to ensure you're getting a deal that's right for your business at a good price.

Whilst the rates might generally be better for commercial customers, it's worth remembering they may also have to pay 20% VAT on their tariff compared to the 5% paid by domestic customers. In addition, businesses in the UK are required to pay the Climate Change Levy (CCL), which is subject to change every April, on units of energy used that are not from renewable sources.

There is an exception to this rule. Your company won't have to pay CCL and will only pay 5% VAT if you use less than 33kWh of electricity and 145kWh of gas on average per day.

If your business is VAT-registered, you can claim back the 20% VAT spent on company utility bills.

Switching your business energy supplier can be quite different to swapping supplier at a residential address, with the switching period taking around six weeks. During this time, your new supplier will work out the finer details with your existing supplier and let you know a switching date.

There should be no disruption to your electricity and gas supply, even on the day that the change is made. Generally, there won't be any need for your supplier to make any changes to the infrastructure at your premises, as gas and electricity will be supplied through the existing pipes and cables regardless of your supplier.

Contracts can be fixed from one month to as long as five years. The best rates and deals are reserved for the longest fixed-term contracts. However, keep in mind that if rates do fall, you will still have to pay your agreed unit rate and/or standing charge. This can be annoying if you have fixed your rates for a long period.