Gas for Business Premises

nodiscount

Hi

My dad wants me to find him a cheaper supplier for his shop.

I have no idea where to look.

I have done a search but couldn't find anything posted. Also looked in the sticky.

I wish it was as simple as residential comparison services!

paddyrg

ux-online.com? I worked for them in the past, and in fairness they may not be able to help for a small business as much as a larger one, but if a few local shops get together to form a buying consortium, you have some leverage.

cottager

I can highly recommend the Energy Advice Line (EAL).

You can enter details and do a price comparison there, but it's best to get some information together beforehand: see the FAQs here.

Then you can start the process online to switch; or you can call (freephone number) and they'll go through the same process with you, you can ask any questions you might have, and they'll accept instructions and start the ball rolling. If you prefer they'll email quotations to you first to consider.

They're independent and impartial, it's a free service, and they only deal with businesses supplies, not domestic (more's the pity). Makes no odds if you're a large company or very small like ours.

For us it was electricity rather than gas -- but they deal with both -- and I came across the EAL website last year when our contract with British Gas was coming up for renewal. If it had rolled over the price was going up considerably, and I was looking for alternatives. I did all the preliminary stuff looking at comparisons but wanted to ask some questions as well, and the guy I spoke to couldn't have been more helpful or informative as to what we could expect.

What's impressed us is the service, which I'll illustrate as they really have taken the hassle out of switching and dealing with the companies concerned.

OH looked at the best offers and went for Scottish Power, fixed price for 9 months. I rang EAL to let them know + all our details, and they phoned him for authority -- had to get the final say-so from him as the electricity account's in his trading name.

Then they emailed a letter for us to send by Recorded Delivery to BG to serve notice terminating the contract, and asked us to email back the tracking number so they could monitor it. If BG had caused any problems with switching they would have sorted it out. They also confirmed our application to SP for the new supply, later confirming it had been accepted and that SP had put the wheels in motion to take over, and then again later to confirm the changeover date (and we had the relevant paperwork from SP also, confirming details).

Before the switch EAL reminded us to take a reading on the changeover date, and asked to be made aware of it so they could intervene if there was any dispute. In the event everything went smoothly so there was no need for them to step in, but it was very good to know they would have done at any stage if the need arose, and negotiated on our behalf if necessary.

The SP contract finishes at the end of September. In late June EAL emailed in good time to say we needed to write to SP with at least 45 days' notice to stop them renewing automatically, attaching a letter with all our details included to print, sign and send off RD, again asking for the tracking number so they could check it was delivered. They wrote again confirming it had been, and also noted the best offer available at the time (EDF), but OH now has to ring them to discuss who he will go with next -- as these things can change quite quickly maybe EDF won't have the best deal by now, but he'll be told the latest offers and they'll arrange it all, as last year.

What's great about it is that since finding EAL and getting them to deal with it, OH now has an easy answer to all the phone calls he keeps getting from energy companies urging him to switch, which is a relief as they drive him up the wall -- he just says 'No thanks, it's sorted', and mentions EAL if pressed.

No connection with the EAL, just a satisfied user.