Unlike your residential water supply, as a business you aren’t tied to a regional water supplier. This means you can switch business water supplier based on your needs and which company is offering the most attractive rates.
How does the business water sector work?
Since April 2017, England’s business water market was deregulated, which meant that from this date, non-residential customers could choose their water supplier, rather than having to stay with the one in their region.
This followed Scotland’s deregulation of its water market for business customers almost a decade earlier.
In Wales, meanwhile, only businesses using high volumes of water (over 50 million litres per year) can choose their own water supplier at the time of writing.
For business water customers, this gives you the opportunity to shop around to not only find the best rates for your business water supply, but also the water company that will deliver the highest level of service and potentially services tailored more specifically to your needs.
How are business water suppliers different from residential water suppliers?
Under the deregulated water market model, licensed water retailers buy wholesale water supply and sewerage services from the main regional suppliers.
These water retailers then put their own packages around their business water supply offerings, giving you an alternative to the standard water companies that provide domestic services.
This means that the underlying infrastructure is still managed by your main regional water or sewerage supplier, and the water you receive will be the same quality as that of anyone else in your area.
However, business retail water suppliers can make their packages more attractive by including other services as part of a bundle, and delivering additional support to your business around your water usage.
This might include offering advice about how to reduce your water consumption, for instance, and in the process lower your bills.
What does it mean if you have a self-supply water licence?
Under the deregulated model, businesses can also apply for a self-supply water licence. Doing so will enable you to supply your own premises with water services.
This can deliver cost savings, as you will be paying your water supplier the wholesale rates for your water and sewerage services. However, this can also entail additional responsibilities that you won’t have if you pay a retail supplier for your water.
Such responsibilities include:
- Reading your own water meters and submitting readings to the wholesale supplier.
- Dealing directly with your wholesaler.
- Producing your own emergency plans for water outages that impact your property.
- Understanding all the regulations, frameworks, codes and licence conditions associated with the business retail water market.
As a result, you may decide that it is worth sticking with a business water supplier rather than taking control of the process yourself.
Your step-by-step guide to switching business water supplier
Step 1: Enter your business’ details into our system
This gives us all the information we need to assign you an account manager who is best placed to help you evaluate the water suppliers in your area and make the right choice for your business water services.
Step 2: Sit back while we search the market
At Swift Switch we make this whole process as simple as possible for you, because we know how valuable your time is.
Once you share your details with us, we’ll search the water market to find the most competitive business water rates available that are appropriate for your business’ needs. We’ll share what we find with you so that you can make the final decision.
Step 3: Choose your new water supplier
After you’ve received our list of potential water suppliers, you can make a decision about which provider you would like to go with.
Step 4: Let us handle the switch
Our team can take care of the switch from your current water supplier to the new business water supplier you’ve chosen. You’ll have access to your dedicated account manager throughout the process in case you have questions or need further support.
Step 5: Start saving
With the switch taken care of, all that’s left is for you to start saving money on your water rates. If you are owed a refund on what you’ve paid in the past, the switching process will normally uncover this and lead to the refund being issued.
Bonus step: Reduce your water consumption
Take advantage of any advice that your new provider offers around how to reduce your water consumption and, in the process, lower your bills. This isn’t only good business sense. It is also how your company can be a good steward for your local environment and resources.
