Energy prices have risen rapidly recently, and as a result, many households and businesses have looked at their monthly gas and electricity bills with a look of astonishment over how much they’ve been charged by their supplier. As a result, many energy companies are trying to persuade unhappy customers that, by switching to them, they can get a better deal, but is this actually true? It might sound tempting, but some energy suppliers contact people either door-to-door or via telephone without actually giving them a better deal after switching, which can be misleading.
Energy regulator Ofgem, which oversees energy companies in the UK including the so-called ‘Big Six’, says that if businesses and households are unhappy with their current energy supplier because they’re paying too much, they could switch in order to save money. Ofgem state that by failing to switch supplier, businesses could be spending at least £100 a year more than is necessary on their energy bills, which for smaller companies can be a significant amount of money that’s wasted.
To make sure that consumers are aware that they can find a cheaper deal elsewhere, Ofgem and Citizens’ Advice are launching a switching campaign called Energy Best Deal. The campaign claims that, by switching to a different energy supplier, businesses and households could save up to 40% on the cost of energy. The campaign states that, by making enquiries to several energy companies, trying to take advantage of special offers and visiting price comparison websites such as Make It Cheaper energy saving, it’s possible to cut energy costs without too much hassle.
However, switching supplier usually takes between six to eight weeks, so to get it done businesses need to allocate themselves time for it to happen, and they should remain patient. Also, businesses are advised to look at different companies, including smaller energy suppliers, to see what they have to offer. An increasing number of businesses are making the decision to switch to a smaller energy supplier from one of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies for several reasons. A spokesperson from makeitcheaper.com explained why:
“A number of our customers said that they trusted smaller energy suppliers more than the Big Six, especially because of their more reasonable prices and customer service. On top of that, 55% of those we spoke to said that billing issues were problematic, with 40% talking about poor customer service provision. Make It Cheaper was set up so that anyone who came to us would find the best possible deal for energy prices and customer service.”
or any businesses who may be interested in saving money on energy costs, they are hosting a two-hour free event in Twickenham, where Liberal Democrat MP and Business Secretary Vince Cable will be doing a Q&A session on small business issues. Anyone who attends can also network while receiving advice on how to save money for their company. It takes place at The Albany, 1 Queen’s Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham TW1 4EZ, and is on from 6pm-8pm.
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