FAQ

Frequently Asked Question

Change of tenancy and multi-site

No problem! Many of our existing clients have multiple meters in multiple locations and we find that we achieve even higher savings for those multi-meter, multi-site clients.
Notify as soon as possible in the process. If the premises already exist, a full address of the site suffices as a starting point.
Most suppliers will have no penalties if there is a change of tenancy at their premises, your account manager will be able to verify this.
If you have just move into a new premise you do not have consumption history. This is something suppliers like to know. By confirming that you have just had a change of tenancy then the supplier also knows that your consumption figure is an estimate and will be better prepared to manage any shortfall or over use at the property.

Energy contracts and switching supplier

In many cases, we have negotiated better rates from our clients’ existing suppliers. Moreover, our services go beyond finding you a better deal for your utilities.
Get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can find a suitable contract option for you. You are losing a lot of money every day that you pay the significantly higher rates suppliers charge non-contract customers.
Once you have agreed a contract with a supplier you cannot cancel it, even if has not started yet. Business energy suppliers purchase the energy they supply to your business based on your specific consumption pattern. Thereby, they deem this energy only suitable for you which is why they need to ensure that once you’ve signed the contract, you cannot exit the agreement for the entire time the contract runs.
No. Gas and electricity will still be supplied to you through your existing infrastructure. Likewise, maintaining the safety of your energy supplies remain with your regional supplier.
Your contract is with the supplier of your choice.
The supplier could object if there is any outstanding debt on the account. If a supplier objects to a transfer we are handling for you, we would get in touch and simply re-apply to the supplier as soon as the issue is resolved.
No, we will always consult with you on your options and only when you have decided will we proceed with your choice. At that point we will also confirm via email all the details of your agreement, a key facts document, provide a hard copy of the agreement and terms and conditions for the chosen supplier.
Unlike in the domestic market a business cannot switch immediately unless you are not currently in a contract. The time it takes to until your switch is complete depends on the contract end date of your current contract. You can agree a new contract up to 180 days in advance but the actual registration with your new supplier can only be initiated 28 days in advance of your current contract end date. In most cases your switch will then go live the day after your current contract ends. You can trust us to take care of the entire process for you so the switch is seamless.
We can do that for you, if you approach us early enough.
All energy suppliers base their contract offers on the credit score of your business. A soft credit check will give you and us an indication of whether you qualify for certain options.
A Letter of Authority (LOA) is used to request important information from your existing or new supplier required to provide you with a quote, resolve disputes and process your renewal or switch. Simply put, an LOA allows us to represent you when dealing with your existing supplier. This agreement covers Electricity, Gas, Water, Telecoms and Merchant Services products only.
In our 20-minute introductory consultation we will assess your situation as best as possible based on relevant documents like contracts and invoices. We will then ask you to sign an agreement, the Letter of Authority, that will allow us to request certain information from your supplier, such as your consumption data and contract end date.
As our client, you don’t have to worry about this scenario. Your Account Manager will get in touch 180 days before your contract end date which leaves enough time to lock in the best prices and provide the required notice period on your current contract.
Most business contracts are on a fixed term basis, that means you pay a defined price over a defined period. You cannot exit this contract before the defined period is over and more importantly, if you do not actively terminate your contract in time and in line with your terms and conditions, it is automatically renewed (rolled over) when the contract completes. This often means that you are stuck with higher energy prices without prior notice for at least a year or longer, for larger businesses.
We can check your contracts and find out if whether they are fair to you. If we find anything that is incorrect, we will attempt to get your supplier to either correct the contract or find a lawful way out of your existing contract. We will then find a tariff and/or supplier that better suits your needs. If your contract is in order, you will not be able to switch to a more suitable contract immediately. However, if your contract end date is less than 180 days in the future, we can already provide you with a quote. If you have more than 180 days to go on your current contract, we can still check your utility bills and negotiating rebates with suppliers who have billed you erroneously.
The earliest you can apply for a new supply arrangement is 180 days prior to the contract end date of your existing supply. We constantly monitor the wholesale energy market and will help you with the right timing to lock in the best price. Please be aware that a new supplier can take 30 days and longer to take over your supply arrangements and that your new contract only takes effect once your current contract has ended.
Your supplier will be interested in retaining you as a customer and the rates in your renewal offer are often not the best you can get. Simply get a copy of you notice and offer over to us so we can advise on the next steps.

Energy market and prices

VAT on electricity and gas for business is charged at the normal VAT rate of 20% unless are a charitable organisation, or your daily use is under 33kWh for electricity or 145kWh for gas.
Transporting the electricity or gas from the generator or production facility to your meter costs money. These costs increase with the distance the energy needs to travel, as well as the efficiency of the local network.
The price you will pay depends on factors such as your location, your metering system, credit score, consumption pattern, chosen payment method as well as the wholesale energy market and the point in time you agree the contract.
The cost of oil and gas is volatile and notoriously difficult to predict over the short-term. Some individuals have ideas on where trends are going and we provide a variety of contract lengths to accommodate this. It is certain that the demand for energy will increase significantly for the emerging economies (BRICs – Brazil, Russia, India & China), and increased demand with fixed capacity results in increased wholesale costs. Moreover, significant investment required in national grid and gas networks, as well as environmental taxes and subsidising the green economy to hit CO2 targets affect the retail prices of energy. Therefore, our position is that the price of energy will continue to increase and that it is safer to lock in a price.
No, in fact contract lengths and terms, pricing, volatility of the underlying markets and switching differ quite significantly.

Transparency and fraud protection

Yes. Feel free to read our Terms and Conditions. You can also view our Privacy Policy.
You can simply filter any unwanted utility calls to your account manager and we will deal with the caller.
Sadly, some businesses in the energy market will try to trick you into poor contracting decisions. If you have experienced such unscrupulous practices first hand, please let us know so we can report them and make sure you receive the professional and independent service you deserve.
We do not have any preferential agreements with certain suppliers and get paid the same fee from every supplier we work with. Therefore, you can rest assured that we will never ‘hide’ any available contract options and there is no obligation to follow any of our recommendations. Any advice we give is based on our assessment of the current market situation and your business needs.
Unlike many brokers who take a percentage of your savings or charge you up front, we may receive a commission from a supplier for the service we provide as soon as your contract starts. This fee is flat across all suppliers that we work with.

Why Utility Connect?

We are always happy to hear that businesses look for professional help with dealing with their utilities.

However, we found in many cases that our clients’ existing brokers were doing them a dis-service. 90% of the time we are more competitive than other brokers, and it sure doesn’t hurt to use us to benchmark your existing broker.

Many utility brokers and consultants will seek to place you with a supplier based on their own interests. We are 100% independent and which supplier you choose does not matter to us at all – we receive the same management fee from all of them.

Moreover, most brokers and consultants will probably put a lot of effort into finding you a good deal, but then offer no further assistance once you have signed the contract. We pride ourselves in our excellent customer service and are here for you over the entire length of your contract. Therefore, we prefer the term “utilities managers”.

Lastly, you can make your life even easier by using us to manage not only your energy contracts but also your water, telecoms, and if applicable, merchant services contracts – this means one point of contact for you and the certainty that you are realising the full saving potential.

Firstly, we can get your business a better rate than if you go direct to a supplier. Suppliers who work with us do not need to invest in costly advertising campaigns or a huge sales force to acquire new customers which is why they can provide more competitive bulk prices that exclude the usual cost of sales.

Secondly, we are experts in our field and while you may have gathered experience in managing your business’ utilities, we do nothing but utilities all day, every day. The utility markets are extremely volatile and complex. We see changes to the technologies, regulations, tariffs, and suppliers every week and it’s a full-time job to keep track of these developments. You can be sure that we constantly monitor the energy markets and find the best timing and the best available options for you. Thirdly, instead of being on hold with call centres for hours just to speak to a different agent every time, you can make one call and speak to your personal account manager who will resolve every issue with the suppliers for you.

Although our offerings resonate particularly well with small and medium businesses in the food, drinks, and hospitality industry, we happily support businesses of all sizes and industry sectors.