You don’t have to be a genius to decipher your business energy services bill…but it helps.
Energy bills are notoriously complicated, particularly for businesses that have multiple sites and meters. For this reason, many suppliers will have an explainer section on their website outlining what each part of your bill means. But if you have more than one supplier, things can get even more complex.
Here we explain what to look out for on your bill and how using a third party for your business energy services could take the hassle out of understanding your bills.
First and foremost, you want to make sure your bills are accurate. The most common cause of inaccurate bills is estimated readings. This happens when you don’t supply your actual meter reads before the bill calculation date.
If your bill is estimated, this will be stated somewhere on the bill itself. If this is the case, make sure a meter reading is submitted as soon as possible to avoid over or under-paying next time.
Your bill will tell you your unit rate and standing charge rate. If you’re on a fixed-term tariff, these should remain the same month to month. But this does not mean your monthly billed amount will remain the same. Fluctuations in your energy usage will increase or decrease your monthly payments. If you’d like some help monitoring or reducing your energy use, we can help.
VAT and the Climate Change Levy (CCL) are usually applied to business energy bills. However, some organisations are eligible for a reduction, and not all are aware they are being incorrectly charged. For example, organisations in the education sector can reclaim 15% of the VAT on their energy bills, plus a CCL rebate.
Renewable energy is exempt from the Climate Change Levy.
Bills vary according to who your supplier is. Some have centralised billing functions, while others don’t. Some will also take longer than others to update and correct the information on your bills. This can be particularly frustrating if you have multiple suppliers, all working in different ways.
We provide a billing service to our clients, and our Customer Services team are experts at simplifying the whole process. For larger organisations, we can liaise with your supplier to ensure they provide centralised billing. Alternatively, we can produce a single monthly statement outlining exactly how much you owe, when and to whom, regardless of whether you have one or several sites, and whether you use multiple suppliers for your business energy.
If you receive an estimated bill for any reason, we’ll ensure your up to date meter readings are given to your suppliers straight away. We can also investigate any apparent system errors or problems with your meters and will take the time to explain anything you don’t understand.
Clients who procure their energy through us will have their current and historic bills checked for incorrect charges and overpayments, including VAT and CCL.
We can also help you find a supplier that will upgrade you to a smart meter or install AMR (automatic meter reading equipment). This will remove the hassle of meter readings and estimated bills. We can also liaise with your supplier to arrange installation at your convenience.
Contact us today to find out more about how our business energy services could save you time and money and help you to manage your carbon footprint. Finding you the right energy contract is only the beginning – our business energy procurement guide cover every aspect of your utilities, with expert advice and consultancy along the way.C