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A guide to business utilities
If you run a business there are many factors which can impact your profits, including the price of your business utilities. To help you navigate the process of arranging competitive deals for your business, we have produced this useful guide.
What are utilities in a business?
There are many business utilities UK wide, which your business will need to arrange. If you are new to the utility market you may be wondering what the definition of business utilities actually is. Business utilities are very similar to domestic, so if you have ever moved home you will already have an understanding. The business utilities include; water, sewage, refuse collection, telecommunications, electricity and gas.
Reduce your water and sewage bills
Water is an essential utility for almost every business, whether you use it for basic hygiene or business activities. Your water is likely to be provided by the local water service with the bill based on your usage levels. If your bill is high, your provider will be able to offer useful advice about ways to reduce your water consumption.
Your sewage charge is normally incorporated into your overall water bill, if your business is situated in an urban area. However, if you are located in a rural area, there is likely to be a septic tank which connects to your sewage system. This will need to be emptied periodically and it may be possible to lower bills by comparing quotes.
Save on your rubbish collection
The refuse collection will be provided by the local council, although there will be private firms available who also make collections. As a business it is your responsibility to keep waste to a minimum and to recover any waste produced. There are a variety of private firms which will all be able to provide competing quotes for your business. However, simply maintaining an effective recycling program within the business can drastically lower refuse collection costs.
Compare telecommunications packages
Almost every business relies on telecommunications to operate efficiently. Whether you use landlines, mobile phones, internet connections of even TV packages, many services are essential to a business. There are many telecommunication suppliers who are all competing for your business. This means there is a high chance you will be able to negotiate an excellent rate. If you use more than one telecommunications service, the overall cost could be reduced by moving to an all-in-one package.
Lower your energy bills
Every business needs an electricity supply and unless you generate your own, you will need to pay a bill. In many situations it may be possible to produce the energy your business requires with solar panels or wind turbines. However, if this is not practical you should manage your energy usage and compare business utilities to find the cheapest deal.
Many businesses rely on a gas supply to provide heat and hot water, with some businesses relying on it for manufacturing. As one of the most essential business utilities, it is important to ensure you regularly compare.
How to compare business utilities
If you are looking to reduce your overheads, one of the simplest ways is to compare business utilities using a professional comparison service. Here at BusinessComparison, we specialise in providing businesses across the UK with access to cheap business utilities. If you are looking to compare, our service is completely free of charge and there is no-obligation to switch. Although our panel suppliers specialise in business utility products, we currently only offer a comparison service for gas and electricity.
If you have tried to compare business utilities such as gas and electricity, you probably noticed how many suppliers exist. However, most businesses do not have the time required to spend weeks comparing and chasing quotes for their business. Instead, our professional team will get to know your business requirements so that we can negotiate competitive quotes on your behalf.
What information is required to compare business utilities?
Our team know how much business utilities cost on average, so we will be able to establish whether you are overpaying. To do this we will need a few details, which you will be able to find on a recent bill. These include; the name of your supplier, how much electricity or gas you use and how much you pay. If it is clear that you are overpaying on your bills, we will advise you to use our comparison service.
We will pass your details across to our panel of suppliers, which all specialise in providing competitively priced business utilities. Our panel include the ‘Big Six’ suppliers; British Gas, E.ON, EDF Energy, SSE, Scottish Power and Npower, which supply 80% of the UK’s customers. However, we also hand-pick a variety of small-scale suppliers, who are known for providing customers with an excellent service.
How long does it take to switch to cheaper business utilities?
We will negotiate the best price for your business utilities and send the quotes across for you to compare business utilities. If you decide to switch to a new contract the whole process will be managed by the new supplier. It will usually take between 4-6 weeks, but the new supplier will send you an exact changeover date. To close your old account with whoever previously provided your business utilities you will need to supply a final meter reading. This will need to be taken on the changeover date and will be used to decide your final bill.
How are the prices calculated for business utilities
The price you pay for your business utilities will be influenced by a range of factors. These include; the size of your business, the amount of energy you consume and the location of your premises. The overall price is broken down into several charges, although the main ones are the unit price and the standing charge. The unit price is charged in pence per kWh and refers to each unit of energy which you use. The standing charge is a daily fee, which the supplier uses to maintain your supply and provide the business utilities to your premises.
Which energy tariffs are available?
When you begin to compare business utilities, you will quickly notice that there are a variety of potential tariffs. The most common are fixed-price and flexible-rate tariffs, which apply to many business utilities. A fixed tariff will usually last for between 1 and 3 years, with the prices of your business utilities set for the contract length. Whereas, a flexible tariff will last for 1 year or less,
with prices fluctuating to match the wholesale price of business utilities. If you are looking to compare business utilities to reduce bills, a flexible contract will offer the lowest prices initially. However, if wholesale prices rise the price of your business utilities could rise above the rate available within a fixed contract. If you have recently moved to new premises your business may be paying for expensive deemed rates.
Secure cheap business utilities today!
If you would like to find out more about how we can help you compare business utilities, please contact our team. We specialise in providing businesses across the UK with access to cheap business utilities, so we can help you save. Whether you are looking to save on your gas, electricity or both, our team will always be available to help.
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