Electricity Business/Domestic rates - which is cheaper and who is the best provider?

mairali

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can help... I recently moved into an ex-commercial property with the electricity supplied by British Gas Business (we have no gas supply). I phoned up before moving and immediately after moving and I spoke to someone who I was told would transfer the account over to British Gas Domestic, after which we would be able to choose who our supplier was.

The person I spoke to said they would phone back the next week, but they never did, and a month passed without further contact. We just received a bill that grossly overestimated our electricity usage, and when I phoned up to give an accurate meter reading, the number on the bill went through to British Gas Business... I have now been transferred to the British Gas Domestic, but I have been told it will take up to 5 weeks to complete the transfer....

Does anyone know what the difference in rates is for business/domestic supply? I'd like to know, because if we end up paying for 10 weeks on the business rate I might be able to complain and get some money back...

I don't know what the unit price is on the bill I have but for 305kWh over one month the bill came to around £56 (including standing charges and climate change levy).

Is this a lot? I've only ever paid quarterly for a house of 5+ people, and the last place I lived had prepaid electricity. Also, we have no gas in this house so everything is electricity-powered.

I've tried looking up different providers for when we are ready to switch but I find it all a bit confusing so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

YoYoY

mairali wrote: »

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can help... I recently moved into an ex-commercial property with the electricity supplied by British Gas Business (we have no gas supply). I phoned up before moving and immediately after moving and I spoke to someone who I was told would transfer the account over to British Gas Domestic, after which we would be able to choose who our supplier was.

The person I spoke to said they would phone back the next week, but they never did, and a month passed without further contact. We just received a bill that grossly overestimated our electricity usage, and when I phoned up to give an accurate meter reading, the number on the bill went through to British Gas Business... I have now been transferred to the British Gas Domestic, but I have been told it will take up to 5 weeks to complete the transfer....

Does anyone know what the difference in rates is for business/domestic supply? I'd like to know, because if we end up paying for 10 weeks on the business rate I might be able to complain and get some money back...

I don't know what the unit price is on the bill I have but for 305kWh over one month the bill came to around £56 (including standing charges and climate change levy).

Is this a lot? I've only ever paid quarterly for a house of 5+ people, and the last place I lived had prepaid electricity. Also, we have no gas in this house so everything is electricity-powered.

I've tried looking up different providers for when we are ready to switch but I find it all a bit confusing so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I have no idea what the difference, if any, is.

But your bill will have the details of the business tariff you have been charged on. If it doesn't, give the supplier a call and ask.

Available domestic tariff details are available from the British Gas Website.

Terrylw1

Suggest to check out Standard Licence Condition (SLC) 22.1 about this.

Use the supplier .PDF's in this link to Ofgem's site.

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Licensing/Work/Pages/licence-conditions-consolidated.aspx

It states they must do so under a domestic contract.

It sounds like they trade under different industry entities hence they perform a full switch to move you from business to domestic. Npower also do this.

That's not your problem and the SLC's back you. Raise a complaint and request a domestic rate.

Just be careful that the business rate isn't cheaper. I suspect you will be on a Deemed business date which are usually much higher than contracted business rates.

dogshome

On either Business or Domestic supplies the price per Kwh is meaningless as different tariffs will apply different discounts to the total cost of the fuel used, and Business contracts are individually negotiated on a more you use the cheaper it gets basis, BUT they are subject to 20% VAT as against 5% for Domestic.

You are most certainly entitled to Domestic rate billing since you moved in, but BG are dragging their heels on the administrative change, but not the Business billing - Believe me, you will be astounded how fast BG will release the Debt Collecting attack dogs on commercial bills.

For your own protection WRITE to BG stating the date you advised them of the dwelling status change and demand a Domestic tariff bill to replace the Business tariff bill already issued.

Keep in mind that even when this Business to Domestic saga has been settled, BG will put you on their most expensive Standard tariff - If you post the detail of the dwelling: Size/Floor/Insulation/Heating & Hot water system you can get feed back as to a rough idea of what your Annual Elec will be and use on the Switch sites for a cheaper supplier