Experienced professionals providing expert, impartial and bespoke advice to mitigate the impact of rising energy cost. Launched in 2015 in London, we are a leading utility consultancy company in the UK dedicated to providing customised utility services for businesses.
With bespoke in- house systems, processes and excellent relationships with clients and suppliers alike, we create bespoke buying strategies, specific business energy solutions, as well as assist in reducing the businesses environmental impact. We believe in providing continuous training for our staff, as well as investing in the constant development of our system.
Our goal is to become your energy department, so you can be assured that your business utility needs are managed by experts.
We achieve this by providing impartial and bespoke procurement advice, dedicated account and portfolio management, alongside extensive bill validation and efficient query management, so that our clients are never over charged.
We provide this service for a whole range of Commercial property types. Commercial EPC’s or Non-Domestic EPC’s as they are formally known are required when you sell or as of April 2018 when you lease a property. This falls under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Regulations (MEES) for private landlords which came into effect in April of 2018.
The assessment involves one our qualified and accredited Non-Domestic Energy Assessor’s (NDEA)attending your property to conduct a measured assessment where they will collect information on the construction type, insulation, lighting, heating and hot water among other things. Using accredited software to calculate the properties energy performance, our assessor will tailor the recommendations specific to your property and provide additional advice as and where needed.
The MEES Regulations currently apply to renewal or a grant of a new lease and the property must be rated a Band E on the EPC or higher to be legally let, there some exemptions but these must be put on the government register. From April 2023 these regulations will apply to all lease agreements regardless of when they were granted.
Furthermore, a consultation has already been published with the governments ambition to increase the minimum EPC Band to a B by 2030.
As part of our service we can provide you with guidance and advice on how to ensure your property is not only compliant now but how it can become compliant with the future changes to the MEES Regulations to save you money and ultimately ensure your property remains occupied.
An essential commodity that can come at significant and varying costs, our energy consultants can handle all elements of the procurement process.
From initial contact with the energy suppliers to dealing with complex legislation and technicalities, sourcing the best value tariffs can be time consuming and complex.
As an independent utility management consultant Energy Bargain is not tied to any single energy supplier and we can research the marketplace to ensure you’re paying the best price per KWh.
Suppliers’ competitiveness can vary significantly throughout the year and Energy Bargain recommends that you always test the market when your contract is due for renewal.
Complaints
Get in touch
We believe in honesty and transparency and always aim for a fair outcome for our customers.
If you need to make a complaint, you can email us or call our support team between 8.30am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. We aim to resolve issues within one working day.
Email: support@energybargain.co.uk
You can also write to us at:
Energy Bargain Limited
510 Olympic House
28-42 Clements Road
Ilford IG1 1BA.
Complaint Procedure can also be sent in a post for free of cost upon request. Please contact Energy Bargain for more Information.
Energy Bargain Limited is responsible for making sure all their representatives are fully trained on their complaints and escalation procedures.
Our complaints process:
Step 1
If our Customer Service team can’t resolve your complaint within one working day, our Customer Care team will get in touch. This team will then update you every 3 working days, or sooner where they can, until the complaint is resolved.
Step 2
If you’re unsatisfied with our Customer Care team’s progress, you can escalate your complaint. One of our agents will pass your case to a senior member of staff to review. Please email shah@energybargain.co.uk and we’ll respond within three working days.
Step 3
If your issue’s still unresolved after eight weeks, or we reach a deadlock, we’ll let you know. Depending on the size of your business, you may be able to approach Ombudsman Services: Energy (OSE) at this point. See further details below.
Further support
Ombudsman Services: Energy (OSE)
The OSE provides its services to companies that Ofgem defines as ‘microbusinesses’. To be eligible, your business needs to either:
You can read more about eligibility and the types of complaint the OSE can help with on the OSE’s website.
The OSE’s free to use, totally independent and doesn’t take sides. If you agree with its decision, we have to act upon its recommendations. The OSE may require us to provide an apology, explanation, appropriate corrective action or compensation.
You can contact the OSE as soon as you receive a deadlock letter from us, and for up to 12 months afterwards:
Ombudsman Services: Energy, PO Box 966, Warrington, WA4 9DF
Tel: 0330 440 1624
Email: enquiry@ombudsman-services.org
Website: ombudsman-services.org
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice can help you with your complaint at any stage of the process. It offers free, confidential and impartial advice.
Tel: 0808 223 1133
Website: citizensadvice.org.uk/energy
Business Debtline
Business Debtline offers free and independent debt advice over the phone and online.
Tel: 0800 197 6026
Website: businessdebtline.org
What's going on in the energy market?
The UK’s amid an energy crisis, with supply struggling to meet demand and prices soaring. We’re aware that the knock-on effects are having an impact on organisations of all sizes, and we want to do what we can to support you. It’s important to understand what’s causing the crisis, how it’ll continue to present a challenge and what you can do to limit its impact.
What costs are in my energy bill?
As well as energy consumption charges, your bill also includes ‘Third Party Costs’. This article unpicks them so you can understand more about what you’re paying for.
Why are energy prices going up?
Wholesale energy prices are higher than they’ve been in decades, and it’s affecting our energy bills.
Multiple factors are playing a part in this unprecedented price spike. Read on to find out what’s causing it, and what to do if you’re concerned.
Increase in demand
At the start of 2021 when Covid-19 restrictions lifted, demand for gas increased from its low point in 2020. Demand was further increased by the global cold snaps over the same period.
The cold weather continued into the months of April and May. This restricted the ability to refill storage facilities across Europe, leaving them at historically low levels. It’s important that we store gas for efficient running of the energy market, with gas storage primarily providing an important source of flexibility that’s needed to balance supply and demand.
The war in Ukraine
As we moved through 2021, geopolitical tensions began to increase and the threat of conflict between Russia and Ukraine emerged. Russian flows into Europe were significantly lower year on year, which again restricted the ability to fill European storage.
Russia is a significant player in the global gas market. It supplies around 30-40% of European gas, with reliance much higher in some southern and eastern countries.
When the war began, many countries started taking steps to reduce their reliance on Russian gas. But there’s limited alternative sources and insufficient capacity to completely replace Russian gas. The EU is also aiming to cut gas demand by 15% between August 2022 and March 2023.
Russian gas flows have continued to decrease during 2022 and as a result, prices have continued to rise.
How are gas and electricity prices linked?
About third of Britain’s electricity is generated by burning natural gas. While the UK is trying to use renewable electricity where it can – it generates around 12% of the UK electricity through sustainable biomass – we are still reliant on gas.
What’s more, gas will often set the price for the rest of the energy mix used. Every day, energy technologies are brought online to meet electricity demand. This process happens every half hour, and renewables are always the first choice as they’re cheapest to run. Non-renewable power sources then ‘top up’ the demand for that half hour period.
In our power system, electricity prices are decided based on the cost of the last technology needed to meet that half hour of demand, which is called the ‘marginal’ generation.
As gas is often the 'marginal' generation, gas generators set electricity prices in a lot of periods within the UK meaning movements in gas prices are reflected in electricity prices.
Cold seasonal weather
The arrival of winter brings additional risks. Consumption will jump as businesses and households consume energy to combat the cold.
If we have any particularly cold spells then energy use increases even further. Which puts more demand on the system, and leads to higher prices. So, at present, the uncertainties over winter temperatures, alongside concerns about Russia, are putting even more pressure on prices.
Increasing third party costs
Only part of the price you pay for energy goes towards the electricity or gas you use. The rest is for ‘non energy costs’.
Some of these costs are increasing because of inflation. Some to cover the cost of investing in the networks that transport the energy. Some are increasing because they’re linked to wholesale energy prices.
This means that both parts of energy bills – the wholesale energy price and the costs for supporting services – are increasing.
What does this mean for my business?
If your business has a fixed price electricity contract, you may not be immediately affected by the exceptional changes to energy markets. But, all businesses are likely to see price increases soon, as energy and third party costs increase rapidly.
If your business has a flexible contract, your wholesale electricity and third party costs are likely already affected. The extent of the impact will depend upon your hedging strategy.
Being energy efficient is the best way to cut costs
Reducing energy use is always the best way to lower your bills and help the environment.
Heating
Heating accounts for 40% of energy usein non-domestic buildings. Top up insulation, put thermostats on timers and fit draught proofing.
LED lighting
Switch to LED lighting. Depending on what bulbs you use, you could save between £4-13 per bulb replaced by LED lightingper year.
Smart meter
Get a smart meter. They’re installed at no extra cost to you and can tell you exactly how much energy you’re using, and when. It’s the fastest way to see if you have any energy ‘leaks’ and to tell which appliances and operations are most energy intensive.
I’m concerned about my energy bills
With many businesses still recovering from the financial impact of Covid-19, this is likely to be a difficult time. Our teams want to help.
Contact us
If you’re at all worried about managing your energy payments, please contact us. We’ll work with you to come up with a management plan. The sooner you contact us, the better we’ll be able to help.
See if you’re eligible for government support
Use the Gov.UK business finance and support finder.
Get business debt advice
Charities like Business Debtline give free and independent advice, online and over the phone.
Find out what support is available on our dedicated help page.
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