Who Supplies My Business Water?

The English water retail market opened up back in April 2017, bringing it in line with that of Wales and Scotland, meaning that for the very first time businesses were able to choose their own supplier, allowing them to find one that best serves their needs, one with experience of dealing with companies in their particular sector and industry.

Having a water supplier that knows what your business needs is invaluable, but with so many new players entering the market over the last few years, it’s something of a minefield out there for companies big and small.

How do you know which supplier is the best one out there? How do you even go about finding out who your current business water supplier is? How do you go about switching?

There are so many questions to answer and it’s no wonder that businesses find the process a little offputting… but there are so many benefits sourcing a new supplier that you might be missing a trick if you don’t delve a little deeper.

Here, we help answer a few of your questions that might make navigating this new water landscape a little easier, ensuring that you’re able to find the best supplier for you and your business.

Who is my water supplier?

Business water customers are now billed by water retailers, as opposed to regional water companies (which are now called wholesalers).

Prior to the market opening, you should have been contacted by your water company to let you know which retailer would be serving your site, but if you’ve just relocated or are unsure and want to find out who your water supplier is, your first step should be to look at your most recent water bill.

If you can’t find your bill or you’ve just moved to a different site, another option is to simply get in touch with any water retailer out there and they’ll be able to tell you which retailer is registered to your business premises.

Why does my business have different suppliers in different regions?

Something to bear in mind is that if you have multiple business properties, then it’s possible that you will have multiple suppliers, which can make it a little trickier for your accounting department to keep track of everything.

It can also make it harder for you to gain an in-depth understanding of how and where your business is using water, which is essential if you want to start operating more sustainably in the future.

There is a way to get around this, however, and that’s with bill consolidation, where you only receive one bill each month and only have to deal with one customer services department, making life far easier for you and your team.

English Water Retailer List

What if I’m being billed as a domestic customer?

One very common problem that businesses often find is that they’re not being billed as a business at all, rather that they’ve been classified as a domestic customer because the non-household water network database is out of date.

If the main use of your property is anything other than a residence, then you are eligible to be supplied by a business water supplier. If this is the case, it’s advisable to get in touch with your first choice of supplier, which will then be able to bring you on board and transfer you onto the non-household water network.

Do business energy suppliers work in the same way?

Yes, the energy retail market is also deregulated, so you can find the right supplier for you and your business, which is something the team here at SwiftSwitch can certainly help you with.