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There are big savings to be made for any business that switches to a new cheap business gas and electric supplier and this article will help explain why. All firms should check the market regularly to ensure they are on a gas and electricity tariff that best suits their business needs. However, since energy suppliers cannot offer a dual fuel deal, this means they must source their electricity and gas needs separately. The market for supplying business gas is a competitive one and the firm will, more than likely, find a cheaper supplier with a better customer service delivery. Despite the fact that firms could save hundreds or thousands of pounds every year on their energy bills, around 40% of them, according to the Competition and Markets Authority, do not bother to switch energy suppliers. There are a number of reasons for this, some firms will be happy with their business energy supplier and others will simplify believe it’s too time-consuming to carry out. Source a cheap business gas supplier The energy watchdog Ofgem and the government are keen to boost competition within the business energy supply market which means the firm will find it easier to source a cheap business gas supplier and electric too. It’s important to appreciate that they will not lose business gas supply during the switchover process since there will be no need to install new pipes or meters. It should be part of normal business practice to look at the business gas supply market on a regular basis to ensure the firm is enjoying the best tariffs available. This will also bring peace of mind and ensure that they are not paying more than they need to for their gas. Some firms may also be confused not only about the switchover process itself but the fact there are so many competitors in the market offering great deals. While many will want to stick with the ‘big six’ gas suppliers, it will pay to shop around and find better tariffs, better customer service and other services being offered as well. Savings to be made in the amount of gas being used Among these gas services for businesses is the opportunity from some suppliers to undertake an energy usage audit to see whether there are savings to be made in the amount of gas being used. This will mean that as well switching to a cheaper tariff, the firm will save even more money by being more efficient with their gas use. Some firms may also want to undertake the comparison process and then be astounded at the wide range of business gas suppliers available offering a multitude of tariffs, contracts, and services. But there’s an argument to be made that managing energy efficiently is a great way for a business to boost its environmental credentials and lower their overheads at the same time. For this reason, commercial gas procurement should be at the forefront of their regular tasks to see whether savings can be made and profitability improved. It should also be noted that while the commercial gas market is primarily aimed at firms both large and small, from one-man bands to multisite premises, the offers are also available for other non-domestic organisations, such as charities and even churches. It’s also worthwhile working with an organisation that will offer a dedicated account manager so the business will be informed should their tariff or terms change and also, when the opportunity arises, search the market once more for an even better deal. Source a new supplier and fix energy prices With industry experts predicting that business gas prices will inevitably rise in the coming months and years, it makes sense to source a new supplier and fix energy prices before increases are implemented. Along with business gas comparison websites to find better prices, there are also growing numbers of energy brokers available who can access the whole market to find a suitable bespoke deal. For those firms who are time poor to undertake an analysis of the available business gas deals, then this will be a suitable solution. It also means they don’t have to make too much effort to find a cheaper and better supplier. There’s no doubt that by switching energy supplier, the firm will reduce costs and have the option of moving to a fixed term contract so they will know what their energy prices will be for the next one to three years. By taking control of their energy needs and supply, the firm will be reassured that they have done all they need to and made the maximum savings possible.   However, for all firms who are looking to switch to a new cheap business gas and electric supplier, then speaking with the experts at D-Energi will be time well spent because they will, within minutes, be able to highlight just how much money could be saved by moving to a new energy supplier.

For organisations looking to compare business energy prices for lower bills also means understanding half-hour electricity prices. That’s because the industry has switched from using traditional meters to using half-hourly meters, or HH meters. The new electricity meters will send accurate electricity usage readings to the supplier every half-hour. All businesses have either moved to the new half hourly meters or will be doing so very shortly, and they are connected by a phone line to send the updates to the supplier so there’s no longer any need to worry about accurate meter readings. The other reason for installing these new metres is they monitor energy usage and offer a detailed breakdown of how much energy the firm is using and, importantly, when they are using it. Part of this aim is to help an organisation to become as energy-efficient as is possible. How to compare business electricity tariffs The other aim is to highlight how to compare business electricity tariffs with the potential for switching to lower energy deals, particularly if they are big users of energy during off-peak periods, for instance. The easy way to find out whether the firm is using a half-hour meter already, then their most recent energy bill will have an ‘S number’ on it to designate the meter. Basically, if the top left number on the energy built reads ‘oo’ then the business has a half-hourly meter installed. The other upside to using these meters is that there are software packages available that will create an alert should the business or one of their premises see their usage go over a determined threshold. It’s also possible to look at the historical data to find out where savings can be made and see where the biggest users are. Also, for firms who have not made the switch to HH meters they must have done so by April 2017 if their meter’s profile class is 05, 06, 07 or 08. If not, they must contact their energy supplier as soon as possible. Compare business gas and electricity prices While having the information from a half hourly meter is important for analysing usage, the firm also needs to bear in mind that there’s only a limited window of opportunity to switch energy suppliers and access cheaper tariffs after they compare business gas and electricity prices. They will not be able to switch suppliers mid-contract and the current supplier may lodge an objection if there is money outstanding on a bill. However, HH meters will help a potential new supplier to tailor a bespoke offering that will better meet the firm’s needs and be cheaper as well. The other big reason for having a half hourly meter installed for business is that it should encourage them to take a closer look at how much energy they are using, when they are using it and, crucially, how much they are paying for their energy. Armed with this information they then can search the market for a cheaper business energy supplier and see their bills fall as a result. Indeed, estimates as to how much a firm can save by switching suppliers vary but could be up to 40% which could see some firms saving hundreds if not thousands of pounds every year. The government and the industry regulator Ofgem are keen to increase competition in the market which will also lead to lower prices as energy suppliers compete to meet business needs. Installation of half hourly meters is increasingly important As a result, the installation of half hourly meters is increasingly important and firms should use the information supplied to their own advantage. One quick way to see whether they are paying more than they need to for their business energy needs is to check business comparison websites on a regular basis to see what other suppliers may offer to have them as a customer. However, the firm will need to bear in mind that finding a like-for-like quote is difficult since the energy supplier will offer a bespoke tariff to help meet the firm’s needs. The other big attraction for moving to half hourly metering is that it offers firms with several sites or premises to have one bill supplied for all of their energy needs. They can still monitor energy usage remotely but deal with a supplier to cover all of their needs. There’s a lot to recommend using half-hourly meters but the main one is to help lower the firm’s overheads and access cheaper energy bills.   For more information about how to compare business energy prices and why half hourly meters will help, then the team of experts that D-Energi will be able to assist with any questions.

Undertaking research is sound business practice which also extends to finding the best business electricity rates available but some firms may be unaware of what P272 means for them. Essentially, the P272 is a piece of legislation that is pushing organisations to use half-hourly meters (better known as HH meters) so their usage of energy can be better monitored and charged for. It’s also important for those firms who are looking to find a new energy supplier since if they have a P272 meter than the information is an effective way of accessing lower bills. That’s because a potential new supplier can see immediately when and where the firm is using energy and tailor their offering to meet this – there might also be, for instance, some encouragement for the firm to move to off-peak use for lower rates. Indeed, while many organisations may believe that they are on a good deal, unless they check the market regularly, how will they know? It is worth highlighting research from the Competition and Markets Authority which reveals that around 40% of firms have never switched their energy supplier. Firms are probably paying more for their energy The result of non-action is that a large number of firms are probably paying more for their energy needs than they should be doing. The only way to find the cheapest electricity rates is for an organisation to compare the entire market for all business electricity suppliers. On top of this, they will also need to consider how much electricity they are using for their business needs. There are ways and means of searching the market to find a better supplier and organisations of all shapes and sizes could save substantial amounts of money. One of the best ways of finding what the market rate could be is to check a business comparison website that looks at a range of electricity suppliers delivering to businesses. Also, for those firms who have multisite businesses it also possible to have an account that delivers just one energy bill to their head office rather than having to process several invoices every month. Compare the business’s energy needs to find the biggest savings The comparison website will then compare the business’s energy needs to find the biggest savings available and then highlight which will be the cheaper business electricity supplier. With the prospect of business energy prices increasing in the near future, it is also worthwhile considering whether the organisation should lock into fixed energy rates for one, two or three years. There will, undoubtedly, be a fair number of businesses wondering why they should switch their energy supplier at all and the new P272 HH meters will offer data that will show where savings and efficiencies can be made. Also, the reason for switching energy is a simple one, because it makes sound business sense to do so. Data from the HH meter thanks to the P272 rules Not only will the business save money by utilising the data from their HH meter thanks to the P272 rules, the savings will range from several hundred to thousands of pounds every year and they may also enjoy better customer service and other services as well. For instance, some business energy suppliers will offer to undertake an audit of the firm’s energy usage to see where savings can be made so the firm could reduce their overheads even further. The business energy market is a competitive one following the deregulation of the industry and businesses can choose an energy supplier of their choice. Some organisations may also be concerned that their energy supply will be interrupted as they switch suppliers but these worries are unfounded. Also, there will be a large number of firms who have their energy supplied by one of the ‘big six’ business energy suppliers and they may be wondering why they should move from an organisation that meets their needs. The introduction of half hourly meters through the P272 legislation While there’s no doubt that the big six firms will be providing most of the energy needs for the UK’s business sector, this dominance also leads to a range of high energy bills through uncompetitive tariffs – hence the introduction of half hourly meters through the P272 legislation. The government and the energy regulator Ofgem are keen to introduce competition that will help to see lower prices being introduced and improve customer service levels. To help boost the level of competition within the industry, businesses are being encouraged to switch their energy supplier on a regular basis. The other issue is that many businesses are not aware of just how easy it is to switch business energy supplier and the process is smooth and trouble-free. The end result will see the firm enjoying lower overheads which will mean a boost to their profitability. In addition to using business comparison websites, a firm can also utilise the expertise of business energy brokers who understand how the market works and will have access to the latest deals and tariffs that will better meet a business’ need.   For many firms, an ideal solution is to contact the experts at D-Energi who will be able to explain more about the P272 legislation and source a cheaper energy deal with just a few details from the firm to help them enjoy better business electricity and gas rates.

It is surprisingly easy to find cheap business energy prices and for organisations they can save thousands of pounds from their costs. Indeed, businesses both large and small will be able to make substantial savings by simply switching business energy suppliers. The process to finding a cheaper energy supplier is simple though it may require some haggling to find the best possible deal. Obviously, the amount of money a business can save depends on its size and energy usage. The Competition and Markets Authority has carried out a survey and found that 40% of firms have never switched energy suppliers which means they are probably paying more than they need to. These firms particularly could save huge amounts from their energy bills every year. Average business energy bill being paid The average business energy bill being paid by small business is around £4,000 on gas and £5,000 on electricity every year. However, finding a like-for-like business energy quote is a tad difficult since energy suppliers will offer bespoke prices to a business. In addition, should the organisation be looking for business energy gas suppliers then they will need to find a separate quote for each fuel type. That’s because energy suppliers cannot provide dual fuel deals unlike the type we can get for our homes. So, while there are business energy comparison websites available that will give the organisation a good idea of the potential savings to be made, the prices offered may not be the prices the firm actually gets to enjoy. Compare cheap business electricity supplier prices To compare cheap business electricity supplier prices, the firm will need a breakdown of their standing charges and unit rates which will help making a comparison easier. For smaller businesses, that is those firms employing less the 10 people, they will be provided with prices being offered by competitors to help make the switchover process easier. The idea is to increase competition within the business energy market so that firms can enjoy lower prices and better deals as a result. Also, organisations should be wary about moving onto a rollover business energy contract since these will be more expensive, usually, than the tariffs on offer for new customers. While it may appear to be troublesome and time-consuming to switch suppliers, finding a better business energy deal will reap its own rewards since the savings can be substantial. This means that overheads will be lowered and profitability will be boosted as a result. Comparison website for cheap business gas and electricity prices So, armed with some basic information, an organisation can check a business energy comparison website for cheap business gas and electricity prices to get an idea of benchmarking for the prices available. Once the organisation has a firm idea of what prices are being charged, they will then need to contact the supplier directly to discuss their bespoke deal. There also needs to be at this point, however, a word of warning because if they verbally accept an offer then the contract will last for a year and there’s no ‘cooling off’ period for business energy contracts. During discussions, organisations may also be tempted to fix into a longer-term contract in order to enjoy a fixed energy rate; with the prospect of energy prices increasing, this may be a sound business decision. It should also be appreciated that firms cannot switch suppliers mid-term and have to wait until there’s a window of opportunity when the contract is due for renewal. Find great business energy deals It’s also possible to find great business energy deals by contacting energy brokers who understand the market and can access the most suitable deal for a business. The other important aspect to remember about business energy contracts is that should the organisation not find a new supplier they may move onto a rollover contract at more expensive prices. It really will pay to put some effort into finding lower prices. Also, with the growing popularity for people to work from home while starting a business, they may be wanting to know whether they can access lower business energy prices to help reduce their costs as well. However, there are rules over accessing a business tariff and for those working from home will need to prove that most of their energy is being used for business purposes; ideally, they should be using at least 50% of the energy on business purposes. If they do not meet the criteria, then for a home-based business it will pay to source lower domestic energy prices instead.   For those firms who would like to know how much they can save from their cheap business energy prices for the price of a phone call, then they should contact the team of helpful experts at D-Energi.

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. 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 D-ENERGi 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.