Unlike in many countries, the energy industry in the UK is deregulated. This means that it is a free and open market. Energy consumers both domestic and commercial have the freedom to choose who they want to provide their electricity and fuel supplies. There are over 50 energy suppliers to pick from. So for those wishing to find an energy provider to supply electricity or gas to their new business premises or to their new residential property or those seeking to switch from their current supplier to a new one, there are a multitude of suppliers to pick from. Finding a new energy supplier for your business is quite easy.
A Common Misconception
The very fact that there is such a large number of electricity and gas suppliers to pick from makes many people think that choosing an energy supplier is a tedious and time consuming process. The fact that these many suppliers offer different extras and also charge different tariffs also make many energy consumers automatically assume that selecting the best energy supplier is a cumbersome time consuming process. Far from it. One just has to be methodical about the whole process. Here’s how.
Residential or Business?
What is meant here is simply that, are you looking for an energy provider to supply a business or commercial enterprise or one to supply a residential property? This is important because business or corporate electricity and gas supply contracts are usually fixed-term which means you are not able to switch suppliers mid-term. You are only legally able to do a switch after the contract expires naturally.
Know which Variables
This is an important area. If you feel overwhelmed for whatever reason, it might be wise and prudent to seek expert advice. The point is that there is not one single variable to consider. Let’s look at just a few.
- During which time of the day or night does your premises consume the most electricity?
- On a typical day of the week how much electricity or gas on average does your residential property or commercial property consume.?
- Is your priority simply an energy supplier charging the lowest rates or are you looking for a package with various in-built extras and perks?
- Are you a safe environment conscious individual who seeks a specialist green energy supplier who meets and conforms to your standards and goals for a clean pollution free environment?
These are all variables to consider.
Beginning the Search
Having gone through all the above preliminaries the real search for your best supplier can begin. To save time there are various ways of going about this. For one, there are many industry-expert comparison websites one can get reliable data from. Or one can obtain reliable information from other reliable resource providers who will provide reliable data on rankings and so on.
Getting the Cheapest Energy Provider
For most people, getting the best electricity and gas provider means the cheapest. In this high-tech era, the easiest way to go about this is to do it online. There are a multitude of service providers who offer this service.
Understand the Little Things
It’s important to know the seemingly small things when you want to get the best energy supplier for your home or business.
Are you on a Fixed Tariff
This has to be considered if you have a current supplier and are considering making a switch to a new supplier. This is important because in such cases an exit fee of around 30 pounds is usually required if you have 42 to 49 days still to run on your current energy contract.
