Business electricity contract ending: what to do and when

Many suppliers will price a new contract up to around 12 months before your current one ends, and some go further. The new rates start the day after your existing contract finishes, so there’s no overlap. Renewing early can give budgeting certainty, though wholesale prices move daily, so the timing decision is a balance rather than a sure thing.

On a standard fixed contract your unit rate stays the same for the term, so you won’t benefit if wholesale prices fall, and you’re protected if they rise. Some flexible and blend-and-extend products let you take advantage of falls, but they carry more risk. It’s worth deciding how much price movement your budget can absorb before choosing.

Fixed contracts suit businesses that value a known budget and have modest usage. Flexible contracts buy energy in stages and generally suit larger users who can tolerate some price movement and want to manage purchasing over time. Neither is right for everyone. Usage size, risk appetite and how your accounts handle variable costs usually decide it.

Yes. Clearsight Energy can compare suitable contracts across the suppliers on our panel for you. A recent bill helps, though your MPAN, address, current supplier, contract end date and an idea of annual usage are usually enough to start. We’ll set out the options, the term, the rates and the broker fee so you can decide in your own time. Get in touch →

You’ll receive the contract and principal terms, including the rates, term and any broker fee. The new supplier registers the meter for your start date, and your current supplier is told you’re leaving. If you’re renewing with the same supplier, the new rates simply begin. Take a meter reading on the start date to anchor your first bill.

Yes. The old supplier should issue a final bill based on the reading at the switch date. Send them your own dated reading to avoid an estimate. Any credit should be refunded, and any balance paid as usual. Cancel the old direct debit only after the final bill is settled.

Clearsight Energy’s bill validation can check that your old supplier’s closing read and the new supplier’s opening read match, and that the new rates are billed as agreed. Switches are a common point for estimates and duplicate charges. Send both bills and your switch-day reading. Get in touch →

It depends on your size and contract. Since October 2022, suppliers can’t require microbusinesses to give advance notice to end a fixed-term contract at its end date, except on evergreen contracts. Larger businesses should check their terms, as many contracts still ask for written notice within a set window. Sending written notice anyway is a sensible safeguard.

For energy rules, a microbusiness broadly uses under 100,000 kWh of electricity a year, or 293,000 kWh of gas, or has fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet no higher than 2 million euros. Being a microbusiness gives you extra protections, including back-billing limits and notice rules, so it’s worth knowing which side of the line you sit.

Since 2024, Ofgem’s Standards of Conduct cover businesses of every size, suppliers must show broker fees in principal terms for all non-domestic customers, and small businesses can take unresolved complaints to the Energy Ombudsman. Microbusinesses also benefit from a 12-month back-billing limit. These rules don’t cap prices, but they do give you clearer information and a route to redress.

Yes. Clearsight Energy can compare suitable contracts across the suppliers on our panel for you. A recent bill helps, though your MPAN, address, current supplier, contract end date and an idea of annual usage are usually enough to start. We’ll set out the options, the term, the rates and the broker fee so you can decide in your own time. Get in touch →

A supplier can object to a switch in limited cases, most commonly where there’s outstanding debt on the account or where you’re still within a fixed term. If an objection is raised, you’ll normally be told why so you can resolve it. Clearing any arrears or confirming the correct end date usually allows the switch to go ahead.

If you’re switching at the end of a contract, the new supply simply starts on the agreed date, usually the day after your old contract ends. Mid-term moves aren’t normally possible on fixed contracts. Out-of-contract customers can usually switch within a few weeks, and your lights stay on throughout because only the billing company changes.

You’ll usually need the business’s legal name, the supply address, the MPAN (the 21-digit number on your bill, starting with the profile class), your current supplier, the contract end date and an estimate of annual kWh. A recent bill covers most of this. For limited companies, the company number helps suppliers complete their credit checks.

Yes. Clearsight Energy can compare suitable contracts across the suppliers on our panel for you. A recent bill helps, though your MPAN, address, current supplier, contract end date and an idea of annual usage are usually enough to start. We’ll set out the options, the term, the rates and the broker fee so you can decide in your own time. Get in touch →

Your current supplier may object if there’s an outstanding debt or you’re still in contract. The new supplier will tell you, and you’ll stay with the old supplier until the issue is resolved. Ask the old supplier for the exact reason in writing. Once it’s cleared, the new supplier can usually resubmit the switch.

Ask the supplier to confirm the exact balance and what it covers, check it against your bills, then pay any amount that’s genuinely owed and ask them to lift the objection. If part of it is disputed, raise a formal complaint and keep evidence. Let your new supplier know once it’s cleared so the switch can be resubmitted promptly.

Clearsight Energy can review the balance against your contract, meter readings and payments so you only pay what’s genuinely owed. Debt objections sometimes stem from estimated bills or misallocated payments. Send the statement and recent bills, and we’ll set out what we find and how to raise it. Get in touch →

Renewal prices reflect wholesale costs at the time of pricing plus non-energy charges such as network, policy and balancing costs, which have risen in recent years. If your last contract was fixed at a lower point, the jump can look large. Comparing several offers on the same terms and checking the standing charge separately gives a clearer picture.

A unit rate covers the wholesale energy itself plus non-commodity costs. These include network charges (TNUoS and DUoS), balancing costs, government schemes such as the Renewables Obligation and Contracts for Difference, the capacity market, the supplier’s margin and any broker fee. On many business bills, non-commodity costs make up a large share of the total.

Check the meter reads are actual rather than estimated, the unit and standing rates match your contract, VAT and CCL are applied correctly for your use, and any capacity or reactive power charges reflect your supply. Errors often creep in after a move, a meter change or a contract renewal, so those are good points to look closely.

Clearsight Energy offers bill validation, which compares your invoices against your contract rates, meter reads, standing and capacity charges, VAT and CCL treatment. Common findings include estimated reads, wrong VAT rates and charges carried over after a move. Send us recent bills and the contract and we’ll explain what we find and what can be raised with the supplier. Get in touch →

Usually your recent bills, ideally a year’s worth, your contract or principal terms, and any meter photos or reads you hold. Half-hourly data helps for larger sites. VAT declarations and CCL exemption certificates matter where relief applies. If you can’t find everything, start with what you have, as gaps can often be filled from the supplier.

It depends on the error. Suppliers will often correct billing mistakes over several years, and overcharged VAT can generally be corrected up to four years back. Microbusinesses are protected from being back-billed for undercharges beyond 12 months where they weren’t at fault. Supplier terms and any contract limitation clauses can also affect how far back a claim goes.

Clearsight Energy can prepare the evidence of any overcharge and raise it with your supplier on your behalf, with your authority. We’ll explain what we’ve found, what can realistically be recovered, and the fee basis before starting. Send your bills and contract, and we’ll begin with the check. Get in touch →