There’s no doubt the process for a business to switch energy suppliers is much easier now than it has been previously – particularly for small firms. One reason for this is that Ofgem, the energy market regulator, has brought in rules that enable a business to find a better business electricity or gas contract than they currently enjoy. However, it is important to appreciate that the business owner will need to arrange their new business energy deal while they have more than 30 days remaining on their contract. It’s important to appreciate too, that before a fixed term contract ends, usually around 60 days beforehand, the firm’s energy supplier must tell them how much energy they have used each year and how their current deal will compare with their new contract deal. Essentially, this information will put the business in a strong position for negotiating a new business energy deal with a potential new supplier when their current contract comes to an end. Find a new business energy supplier This change means that business can either remain with their current supplier and continue with their new tariff or shop around to find a new business energy supplier. For any business owner who likes the sound of saving money on their energy bills but is not sure of when their contract comes to an end, they can check their latest bill which will have the end date of the contract on it and any notice period. It’s important to appreciate too that a business tells their current supplier that they are planning to switch suppliers at any point before the notice period actually begins. The aim of this means the business will not have to react within a short timeframe when it comes to finding a new supplier. Previously, this short window of opportunity varied between suppliers and could range between 60 days and 120 days. This often created confusion within the marketplace and would lead to a business being automatically placed onto a rolling contract which was usually more expensive than the one they were on. The contract would normally be for a minimum term of 12 months as well. Firm looking for an energy switch Now, however, there are no windows to worry about for a firm looking for an energy switch and the organization can inform their supplier that they want to switch and begin arranging that switchover process and they can do this from any point after a contract begins to 30 days before it expires. One big tip for a firm looking to reduce their overheads and switch to a new business energy supplier is to contact a good energy broker around four months before their contract is set to expire – but don’t worry if the time left on the contract is less than this. The aim is to enable a broker who will have access to the entire market to compare the prices from rival suppliers and then present a business with a quote for a new contract that will, in the vast majority of cases, save them lots of money. The savings will depend on how much energy a business uses but can range from several hundred pounds to several thousand pounds but with the average gas bill being £3,200 and the electricity bill being £2,500 means there is scope for all firms to save money. Making the switch between energy suppliers It should also be appreciated that firms making the switch between energy suppliers could lock themselves into fixed energy rates and be reassured that their price per unit will not increase for the duration of the contract. Also, a new energy supplier offering a new contract may also be meeting the needs of the business more effectively than a current supplier is doing. This means it is worthwhile shopping around when a contract is due to end even if the business is happy with their current energy supplier since this will reassure them that they are on a contract they are happy with. For a business looking to switch supplier, they will need: recent energy bills the contract end date their company details their MPRN and MPAN numbers (which are found on the meter or the bill)   Save money by switching energy suppliers Businesses also need to appreciate that not only can they save money by switching energy suppliers, but the commercial energy market operates differently to the domestic market. By shopping around, business will be able to find an energy package that will be tailored to their specific needs. And while this process may appear to be time-consuming, it is easy to carry out some research online but it’s even easier to use a broker who specializes in finding excellent energy deals for businesses looking to switch suppliers. Indeed, for the price of a phone call, a small business owner can substantially reduce their overheads and boost profitability and be reassured that the switchover process will not see them losing energy supply. For most firms, the quickest and most efficient way to switch energy suppliers is to contact the helpful and experienced team at D-Energi who will be able to look at the whole business energy supply market and find a deal to impress.

Every organisation can reduce their energy costs but how do they switch energy suppliers to enjoy lower prices? Essentially, it’s a very straightforward process and there are comparison websites and business energy brokers available that will reveal the current energy prices that are available in the market for firms. Indeed, regardless of how big a company may be or how much profit they make every year, switching business energy suppliers is a smart way to make savings and improve profitability. This means that a start-up or a one-man band or even a thriving concern with several premises can all enjoy big savings on their energy bills. While many may be put off from the switching process believing it may be time-consuming and distracting, it will be time well spent because the savings could stretch into several thousand pounds every year. Firms have never switched from their current business gas suppliers And though there are big savings to be made, around 40% of firms have never switched from their current business gas or electricity supplier, according to the Competition and Markets Authority. That’s a huge number of organisations that can save lots of money for the price, effectively, of a phone call. The downside to not switching energy suppliers is that the organisation is probably paying far more than they need to for their current energy needs. Organisations should never be shy about switching supplier to find a better business energy deal since they will be boosting profitability as a result. There are a number of issues to bear in mind, however, for those organisations that do begin the switchover process. Making an energy switch between suppliers When it comes to making an energy switch between suppliers, one aspect to the switchover process is for the organisation to benchmark prices and deals on offer by using a business energy comparison website. While the price found on a business comparison website may impress, there are two things the organisation should appreciate: firstly, the comparison website may not be searching the entire market to find the best price; and, secondly, that may not be the price the organisation will enjoy. That’s because energy suppliers will insist on offering a bespoke deal so they’ll need to know some extra details and they will tailor their offering specifically to that business. In addition, the organisation will need to source gas and electricity energy prices separately because they will not be able to have a dual fuel deal in a bid to save money. In many ways, this works in the organisation’s favour since they will compare the offerings from a range of business energy suppliers. Along with the price, the organisation also needs to understand what else the supplier will be doing for them. Business energy suppliers will offer discounts Some business energy suppliers will offer discounts for paying by direct debit and others will help lower the firm’s energy usage bill as well with helpful tips and advice while others will undertake an energy audit. Essentially, there is no reason for any organisation not to undertake a regular search of the energy supply market in a bid to reduce their overheads and the switchover process is seamless and there will be no loss of energy to the firm while it is undertaken. There are simple steps to finding a new business energy supplier and then switching over to them; the first is to supply relevant information. The most important part will be the firm’s meter number since this will give the exact location of the premises for the energy supply. The firm will also need to know when their current energy supply contract comes to an end and then give notice that they are moving to a new supplier. Finding cheaper energy deals The organisation will also need to know their current energy prices so finding cheaper energy deals will be easier. There will be a range of potential suppliers to choose from and it’s at this point the organisation should choose one that offers something a bit more, not necessarily just lower prices. For instance, this may mean undertaking an energy audit or offering extra discounts for paying by direct debit.   It’s also possible to switch energy suppliers to enjoy better deals and tariffs by contacting those who understand how the market works and can source the best deals which mean contacting the helpful team at D-Energi to find out what the potential savings could be and then begin the process to switch over.

For any organisation looking for business energy suppliers, the market will appear to be complicated to navigate. While there are lots of commercial energy suppliers, including the better-known names, there are lots of opportunities to reduce energy bills with just a little bit of effort. So, for those who are looking to find the cheapest business electricity and gas deals, it’s important to find a contract that meets their needs and reduces bills. It should also be appreciated that suppliers will be offering a range of services as well as lower prices in a bid to entice potential new commercial customers. This means it is worth the time taking a look at what they have to offer. Business electricity suppliers who offer a low a fixed price Indeed, some organisations may prefer to find those business electricity suppliers who offer a low a fixed price and longer contract term. For many organisations, this policy would make sound financial sense since energy experts are predicting that energy prices will rise over the coming years. To find the best deals, organisations also need to understand that while they could check comparison websites to find lower prices, these prices may not be available to their business. That’s because business energy suppliers will offer a bespoke deal and the organisation will need to find two quotes for their electricity and gas usage. Unlike for householders, organisations cannot get a dual fuel deal and must find separate quotes for each fuel type. While this may appear to create an obstacle, it also presents the opportunity to have two separate energy suppliers for gas and electricity offering the best prices. So, when it comes to accessing accurate quotes an organisation will need a recent energy bill to hand. Potential new business energy supplier This will have on it important information for the potential new business energy supplier, including the meter registration number so the supplier will know exactly where the organisation is. The bill will also show up the energy rates being charged and the organisation will also need to know when the current contract comes to an end. This is because they cannot switch energy suppliers mid-term and can only give notice to quit their current supplier in the weeks before the contract comes to an end. However, if the organisation owes their supplier money then they may be prevented from switching suppliers until the bill is finally settled. Also, there will be lots of organisations who have not switched suppliers previously and so their commercial energy contract will have been automatically ‘rolled-over’. In this situation, these organisations will probably be on a ‘deemed’ contract and are likely to be paying more for their energy than they need to but they can leave a deemed contract for a new supplier at any time. Compare business gas suppliers There are lots of reasons why an organisation should undertake to compare business gas suppliers for their prices as well as electricity suppliers, on a regular basis, and the main one is to ensure that they are not paying more than they need to for their business energy supply. It also helps to keep abreast of the market for prices and new suppliers entering with better offers. Once the firm finds a potential new supplier, they will then have an energy package tailored to their business needs. Some commercial energy providers also undertake an analysis of their customer’s usage to ensure they get the best deal that suits them and highlight ways to save money by using less energy as well. So, for organisations that are looking to lower overheads and beat ever-increasing business energy prices, it will pay to search the market and find a cheaper energy supplier. Savings that can be made every year While this may sound complicated and time-consuming, it’s a process that will pay dividends because the savings that can be made every year range from several hundred to several thousands of pounds. While the savings can be impressive, it should also be appreciated that the savings are applicable to organisations of all sizes whether they are small or large and range from one-man bands to multisite operations.   However, the most efficient way of searching the market for business energy suppliers and finding great deals is to contact a firm that specialises in sourcing these deals and that means contacting the experts at D-Energi who will be pleased to help.

All businesses should be regularly checking how they can reduce their overheads and boost profitability and one of the best ways is to change their business energy suppliers. Indeed, the industry watchdog Ofgem has been increasingly encouraging firms to switch suppliers to help lower their energy bills and increase competition in the industry. There are a variety of ways that businesses can find a new cheaper energy supply and this article will go into detail about how to do that and what questions businesses should be asking. However, before doing so it’s also possible to contact a specialist firm which understands the business energy supply market and will be able to find the lowest and best deals available which change on a daily basis. This could mean speaking with the experts at D-Energi and asking them to undertake a search of the potential energy solutions available and they can also look after the switchover process too. Looking for cheaper business electricity suppliers For those businesses who are looking for cheaper energy suppliers, including business electricity suppliers may be prompted to do so after receiving a particularly high energy bill. The first step is to check when a contract is due for renewal with a supplier and if the business has not switched supplier they may be on a rolling contract which may also mean they are paying more for their energy than they need to. In the industry, this is known as a deemed contract and higher rates may apply. So, the first step is to speak with the energy supplier to see if they can offer a better deal and, if they do not, then it’s time to begin the search for a fresh energy supplier. However, the business may also need to appreciate that their contract may restrict when they can make the switch to a new supplier. It’s also worth pointing out that this is also a good basis for the search since the business will appreciate what the market is charging and how their current supplier’s tariff compares with their competitors. It’s also worth noting that for a business on a deemed tariff that their supplier has an obligation to inform them about other potential contracts and how the business can find out more information about these. Looking for cheaper business gas suppliers The next step is to take regular meeting readings or to check their bills over recent months and understand what their consumption needs are and when their peak usage periods are as well – this will be helpful particularly for those looking for cheaper business gas suppliers, for instance. The business will also need to take a note of their meter’s unique registration number; for electricity meters they will need the MPAN, or the meter point administration number, and for gas meters it’s the MPRN, or the meter point reference number. These numbers are located on the metres but also on the bills and they will need to be given to a new supplier. It’s always worth checking the contract for a new supplier and the business should appreciate that in the market, most of these business deals don’t have a cooling off period, which is when the customer can cancel a contract within an agreed period. As mentioned previously, their current energy contract may restrict when they can move to a new supplier and their current supplier may object if they are still bound by the contract terms or the business has an energy debt with the current supplier. However, the energy supplier cannot object to a customer moving if they are on a deemed contract since their contract has essentially expired and the business is no longer bound by its terms. Though it is also worth appreciating that should the current energy supplier object then they must also inform the business why they are doing so. Businesses who are looking to use energy experts For those businesses who are looking to use energy experts in the field, they are known as third-party intermediaries, they should appreciate that some of them may be representing just a few energy suppliers and the business should ask if this is the case. It’s crucial that a business uses a firm that is comparing the whole business energy market to ensure that they get the best possible deal. The business should also ask the firm which of its services are being paid for and whether there is a one-off fee or a commission involved in finding a better deal. Tips for finding new business energy suppliers Essentially, the tips for finding new business energy suppliers are: Check the current energy contract Is this a deemed or rolling contract? Ensure the business has its bills and meter numbers to hand Contact the current supplier for a better deal Search the rest of the market for better offers Utilise the experience of business energy experts such as D-Energi Examine the new contract carefully Make the seamless switch. For those businesses that do decide to switch their business energy supplier then they should be reassured that the process itself is seamless and they will not lose their energy supply during the switchover process. For organisations looking to change business energy suppliers these are essentially the tips and information they need to find a better energy deal and with competition growing within the market and predictions that our energy bills will rise in the coming years, it’s important that businesses make the effort to find a new supplier when their current contract comes to an end to ensure they never pay more than they need to for their energy needs.