You can switch your business water supplier provided your premises are used purely for business and you are in England or Scotland. If you work from home you may not be able to switch and if you are in Wales you can only switch if you use over 5000m3 of water.
In the past
The business water market used to be incredibly restricted. Most businesses were not permitted to switch water suppliers. The option was only available to those that used over 5000m3 of water on an annual basis across the UK.
Water deregulation in England and Scotland
However, in April 2017 everything changed when the commercial and non-household water markets in England became deregulated. Scottish markets deregulated in 2008. Essentially, this meant that retail water services were separated from clean water supply and wastewater removal. This enabled commercial water users to switch suppliers and secure a more cost-effective contract for their business usage. This has created a competitive water market, and as such customer service satisfaction has dramatically increased. Providers now need to compete with one another using value add-business models. The result is better service and lower bills for businesses.
Is it easy to switch my business water supplier?
In short, yes it is easy to switch business water suppliers and Eneco can help.
However, there are some pre-requisites that need to be checked before considering switching water supplier. England and Scotland both have deregulated water markets, but Wales does not, for example. If your business is based in Wales, you will need to be using over 5000m3 of water annually to be eligible to switch.
You’ll also need to consider how your business premises are used. If it’s purely for business purposes, you’ll be able to switch. However, if your business is based from your home and is primarily a domestic property, you won’t be able to switch.
You can also change business water suppliers across multiple business locations but it is something that requires some help from a professional team to make sure all the tariffs match up with usage. You may not know who your business water supplier is and we can help there too!
How does pricing work?
Ofwat set the wholesale costs of the water market every April and all suppliers pass these charges through to their customers. Suppliers will charge a retail fee on top of that for their own costs and profit, which accounts for 5-15% of the total water bill. An energy broker like Eneco will work to reduce this retail fee on your water bill.
What charges are included on a commercial water bill?
- Water unit rate
- Wastewater unit rate
- Fixed wastewater charge
- Surface drainage charge
- Road drainage charge
- Trade effluent
- VAT
Water bills can be complex and time-consuming to digest. At Eneco Consulting we have many years of experience in water utility procurement and management. This means that not only can we source the best possible deal for you, but we can also manage and validate your water bills.
How does the procurement process work?
- We obtain supplier information for tendering.
Upon receiving your signed Letter of Authority and bill copies, we will collate all information for your meters and approach your current supplier for any relevant information. - We tender to all eligible suppliers
Eneco will produce a tender and request prices from all eligible suppliers. We currently work with seven different suppliers to obtain competitive prices. Each year new suppliers are entering the market. - Analyse supplier offers
Our dedicated pricing analyst will ensure all quotes from suppliers are correct and provide the best possible quote depending on market movements. We will use our supplier contracts to ensure process are competitive and produce a detailed pricing spreadsheet. - Provide specialist recommendations
Using Eneco’s experience and specialist knowledge, we will communicate with your business via e-mail or telephone to explain the quotes and advise on your best options. - Complete contract paperwork
Once you have decided on a chosen supplier, we will organise for contacts to be produced with 100% accurate to then be signed off by yourself on a day convenient to you.
- Register meters with new supplier
Eneco will confirm lock in of your contract and send through countersigned contracts to keep for your records. When your meter is due to go live, we will confirm with the new supplier that the meter is with them and re-confirm the contract end date and the billing details. Eneco will handle any problems that may arise including objections.
- Dedicated account management
Eneco’s dedicated account managers will guide you through the whole water procurement process and your new contract to ensure complete satisfaction and ease throughout your contract term and beyond. We are here to help you.
If you are considering switching your water supplier, get in touch with an expert at Eneco Consulting to discuss your options.
