Tag: cheaper bills

New best tariff ‘guarantee’ by the energy industry

The Government in the shape of Nick Clegg announced a landmark deal with the UK’s big six energy suppliers following talks in which customers will be guaranteed an offer of the best tariff open to them depending on their needs and energy use.

The new best tariff ‘guarantee’ by the energy industry is one aimed at domestic clients’ not commercial ones. So don’t expect the industry to do you any favours in your business…you need to be pro-active or ask for help from a broker.

Commercial contracts are where the industry makes it profit and are less politically sensitive than the domestic market. You and I vote at home …we don’t vote in our businesses. I think that is what our politicians believe!

So next time your renewal rate hits your desk get it checked. All commercial businesses have a contract associated with their gas and electricity meters. Towards the end of the contract the energy supplier will issue a written renewal for the next period of supply. That supply period will be equivalent to the length of contract the customer has been in i.e. if you’ve been in a 12 month deal your renewal will be for another 12 months.

But how good is that renewal rate. By using commercial utility broker Utilitrack the saving you can achieve on a renewal can be significant. A recent example illustrates the point: one of my client’s, a motorcycle parts company, received their renewal from their current supplier; it showed a 34% increase or £835.00. My accounts team investigated the renewal and tested it against the market rate. As a result of our intervention we’ve been able to keep the client with the same supplier with only a minor increase of £58.00…a huge difference in a business with very low margins.

If you’d like me to check your renewal please call me on my direct line 01234-267883.

Have you signed a contract recently with Haven?

Haven has advised their clients of significant increases in third party costs and taxes being passed on to electricity suppliers nationally, which you may have seen in the media. The costs include the government’s Feed In Tariff scheme (FiT) and the Renewables Obligation (RO), together with large increases in transmission & distribution costs.

Haven has indicated these increases are considerably higher than they envisaged. In accordance with their terms and conditions they will be increasing their customers’ electricity prices, with effect from 1st April 2012, to incorporate these extra costs and taxes. Increases will be calculated on a site by site basis and are not a result of changes in wholesale electricity costs which are of course fixed for the duration of the contract their client’s have signed.

Worth noting that the Climate Change Levy (CCL) tax, as specified by HM Revenue and Customs is also increasing from 0.485 to 0.509 pence per unit from the same date.

In previous years Haven has absorbed 100% of these increases however this year the increases are so large and unexpected they feel compelled to pass them on in full. It remains to be seen if Haven’s move is the start of other suppliers notifying their client’s of an unexpected price rise!

If you would like to find out more about third party charges or have any questions regarding this matter please call me on 0845 604 1484.

Are you on out of contract rates?

All commercial businesses have a contract associated with their gas and electricity meters. However there are occasions when a business can roll out of contract. In such circumstances their current supplier places them on what are known as ‘deemed rates’ which should really be called uncompetitive rates!

Out of contract rates can be as high as 40% above the going market rate. These rates can be challenged but how would you know if your current supplier doesn’t inform you.

By using a commercial utility broker like Utilitrack we can investigate your current rates and the contract associated with the deal you are currently on. With a very basic brief from you we can check if there is a better rate for your business.

If you are out of contract we can arrange to obtain the best market rate renewal. If you are in contract we won’t attempt to break that deal but will track it to obtain the best renewal rate. A recent example illustrates the point: a firm of solicitors in Hull were unaware they were out of contract until Utilitrack checked. We invited their current supplier to quote a contract rate and in the process they offered prices 40% less than the client was paying. A huge difference! However on further investigation we found the market rate was 7% lower than that price. The client saved nearly £400 on this meter – one of their seven electricity meters. A similar scenario with one of their gas meters saved them over £1200.

If you’d like me to check your rates please call me on my direct line 01234-267883.

Have you reviewed your call charges from your landline recently?

Unlike energy prices, telecoms costs are falling but are you benefiting from the reductions?

Many businesses when comparing offers centre on line rental charges but it is call costs that you should focus on to reduce your bill.

Most businesses are spending far too much money on their calls to mobiles. Calls to this category of phone very often account for more than 50% of a business’s bill.  Speak to your supplier to ensure you get a reduction in this aspect of your bill today.

Don’t be tempted by capped rates! A capped rate allows the caller to speak for a set period of time usually up to an hour for a fixed fee. However capped rates only benefit a minority of businesses as most business calls are below two minutes. Therefore well below the time frame covered by the capping.  Consequently a capped rate call usually means you are paying too much.

It doesn’t take long to complete an analysis of a bill.

Find a telecoms company, preferably a Tier 1 supplier, who can offer a full range of services: broadband, landlines and mobiles. All you should need to provide them with is a copy of your latest telephony fixed line and mobile bills covering broadband usage, line rentals and calls to obtain an analysis.

My business Utilitrack Telecoms will provide a detailed analysis within 48 hours. If you would like to know more please call me on 0845 604 1484 or email Gerard@utilitrackonline.co.uk

It’s Movember the month formerly known as November.

Did you know it is a month now dedicated to the growing of moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health; specifically prostate and testicular cancer. I’m donating my top lip to the cause for the month in an effort to help change the face of men’s health. My Mo will spark conversations cause funny looks, laugher and merriment in the office (especially from H) but all in the name of raising vital awareness and funds for cancers affecting men.

Why am I so passionate about men’s health?

  • My business partners very close friend is very ill with cancer
  • 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
  • This year 37,000 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed
  • 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
  • 26% of men are less likely to go the doctor compared to women

I’m asking you to support my Movember campaign by making a donation by either:  donating online at: http://mobro.co/GerardDuggan or if you want to go old school you can write a cheque payable to ‘Movember’, reference my name and Registration Number 120059 and send it to: Movember Europe, PO Box 68600, London, EC1P 1EF

 Thanks for reading this note.

Pink Friday at Meades & Co

I look a vision in pink this morning…well I’m wearing a lot of pink today.

Paul Meades of Meades & Co is having a ‘do’ at his offices this afternoon as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Looking forward to a glass of pink fizz and I’ve been promised a pink treat for a fiver…is it a bargain or should I be scared. Ah well all in good cause.

Meades & Co are very progressive accountants most definitely not your average bean counter. Paul’s business undertakes a lot of charity fund raising and has a lot of fun in the process.

If you’d like to make a donation call Paul on 01923 800444

Measure your usage – sounds boring but could save many £££

Peter Drucker said: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” But it’s a bit boring watching your electricity meter slowly turning. So why not install a digital electricity usage meter that displays to the nearest watt how much energy your firm is consuming? Meters aren’t expensive. You can pick up a Current Cost Envi digital display (made by British entrepreneur Martin Dix) for under £40 on eBay. Installation is non-technical and takes 30 seconds. If you input your price per kilowatt hour, it will translate the energy statistics into pound signs. The display is wireless, so you can keep it on your desk. You’ll be surprised what an impact the installation of such a device will have on consumption.

Financial fitness at Fitness 4 Less

“When I heard that Energie had partnered with Utilitrack to make sure that I had the opportunity to benchmark my energy spend I was intrigued to learn more. I called Nick (Gerard’s business partner) at Utilitrack and with very little effort from me he got in touch with my energy suppliers and then arranged a competitive price tender across the whole of the market, including my existing supplier, to make sure I could benefit from the ‘win’ rate and not just the ‘renewal’ rate. I saved 23% on my gas bill and 36% on my electricity bill. I urge any member clubs to do the same thing!”

Andy Ingham, Manager at Fitness 4 Less, Canterbury

So can we help you today?

BBC appoint a new expert

If your energy needs are complex, consider delegating negotiations to a third party. Utilitrack Ltd is a Yorkshire-based broker with offices in Bedford who specialise in managing the utility needs of small and medium sized firms. Utilitrack will find you the cheapest deal and provide you with expert information on long-term energy trends so you can take action to hedge against price spikes.

The Blackburn Broadcast Company part of The Local Radio Company plc have asked us to negoiate their next energy contract, only a matter of time before the other BBC asks for our help!

Shop Around

If you’ve been with your utility company for more than two years, chances are you’re paying too much. For gas, electricity and water, it’s imperative to search the market annually for the best deal. With 11,000 different tariffs and tricky termination rules, this could be a chore, so use a utility broker who can connect you with the whole of the market. Beware of those who represent one or two utility companies they may not offer the best value or best savings.