The call follows admissions by British Gas, the UK’s largest energy supplier, that 200,000 customers have turned their back on the company in the past four months.

British Gas revealed that 1,800 people each day had been leaving in protest at price hikes of 17.3% announced in the summer.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading price comparison and switching service for business, said many business electricity and business gas users were disillusioned with the behaviour of the ‘big six’ and wanted to consider other options.

“That’s why we have a broad range of business energy suppliers on our panel. Business energy users who want to search the market for the best available prices can come to us knowing that we will compare the prices of the big six as well as smaller independent suppliers,” Mr Morgan said.

“We have companies like Haven Power, CNG and Opus on the panel, smaller independent organisations that often offer specialist products for business energy users.

“That’s the benefit of using an impartial service like our to compare business electricity prices and commercial gas tariffs. We make switching business electricity or business gas suppliers easy and our  service is completely free.”

Energy industry analysts say thousands of domestic customers are leaving the ‘big six’ and moving to smaller and cheaper companies.

Since energy prices peaked last summer, wholesale gas prices have fallen by 31% and electricity by 28%. British Gas has announced cuts in electricity prices of 5% but has decided not to reduce its gas prices at all.

The exodus of customers from British Gas comes amid newspaper reports that the company is preparing to announce a £566million profit for 2011, compared with a record £742m in 2010.

The Energy Advice Line is the UK’s only independent price comparison and switching services exclusively for small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables firms to quickly and simply compare business energy and business gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

The service also offers advice and help on all aspects of business energy contracts.

For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

The UK’s biggest energy supplier has revealed that customers struggling to pay their bills, including business electricity and commercial gas customers, were taking their anger out on call centre staff.

The admission was made by British Gas managing director Phil Bentley in an email to staff and reported in weekend newspapers.

“We’ve seen a groundswell of anti-British Gas comments, with increasingly aggressive tones,” Mr Bentley said.

“All our call centres are under extreme pressure from more angry customers struggling to pay bills.”

Mr Bentley blames the media for exaggerating the energy price rises and enraging customers who then vent their anger at staff in British Gas call centres.

‘There is no doubt in my mind that the energy industry is facing a crisis: a crisis of affordability, a crisis of investor confidence, a crisis of relentless media criticism. In short, a “crisis of trust”.’

British Gas has further angered customers by refusing to pass a 9.4% fall in the wholesale price of gas to its 9.2 million customers.

Last week the supplier announced that it would reduce its electricity tariffs by 5%. Business electricity customers whose energy contracts are coming up for renewal, or those on variable rates, could benefit from these falls.

Mr Bentley’s comments come just days after consumer organisation, Which? released a report showing the ‘big six’ energy suppliers, which includes British Gas, received 4 million consumer complaints last year.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading business energy price comparison and switching service, said customers were frustrated at the behaviour of energy suppliers.

He urged business energy customers who had grievances they could not resolve to call the Energy Advice Line for help.

“Business electricity or commercial gas users who feel they have a legitimate problem with their bill, their business energy contract or business energy tariffs should contact us and we may be able to help,” Mr Morgan said.

“Not only can we make sure that firms are on the best available business energy deal, but our team of experts may be able to help with other problems like billing errors.”

The Energy Advice Line is the UK’s leading energy price comparison and switching services for business, and enables firms to compare the market for the best possible business energy deals at the touch of a button.

The service has a team of business experts who can give advice about business energy contracts and how to avoid expensive contract rollovers. For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

The energy regulator is considering what further action it needs to take to make the UK’s energy supply market more effective for both householders and businesses. The deadline for submissions by businesses is February 15.

Late last year Ofgem announced a range of proposals aimed at making it easier for firms to compare business electricity prices and commercial gas tariffs, and simpler to change suppliers to get the cheapest business energy deals.

Ofgem has suggested a range of measures to address concerns that many small businesses have been tied into costly rollover contracts and terms they did not fully understand. It has recommended a code of practice for suppliers and business energy agents, as well as financial penalties for those organizations that do not comply.

The regulator has stated that it would prefer to implement reforms with the appropriate co-operation from business energy supply companies. But it has warned that if this is not forthcoming, it may force the hand of suppliers.

“If, following our consultative process, we consider that reforms do not have a realistic chance of addressing the concerns identified due to industry opposition or otherwise, we will consider a referral to the Competition Commission,” Ofgem says.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading price comparison and switching service for business, has welcomed Ofgem’s proposals. However, he has urged the regulator to give reforms “teeth” by appointing an official watchdog to ensure commercial energy suppliers comply.

“The reforms Ofgem has put forward are terrific in principal but will be fairly meaningless unless they are enforced,” he said.

“Businesses have had to put up with a great deal for too long by suppliers who have done everything in their power to make it difficult for them to switch providers in order to get cheaper business electricity prices and gas tariffs.

“They are rightly skeptical about whether these proposals will benefit them unless there is a body to enforce them.”

The Energy Advice Line is the UK’s only independent price comparison and switching services exclusively for small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables firm to quickly and simply compare business energy and business gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

Mr Morgan said there was clear evidence that businesses which shopped around and switched suppliers for a better deal at renewal time achieved significant savings over those businesses that stayed with the same supplier year-on-year.

Businesses can also prevent being caught unwittingly in expensive rollover contracts with their existing suppliers by signing up with the Energy Advice Line’s free renewal reminder service.  For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

Every power company except Scottish Power recorded a rise in the number of complaints made against them, with EDF Energy posting a massive 91% year-on-year increase in the number of dissatisfied customers.

The results are the latest in a series of attacks on energy suppliers. Earlier this month they came under fire for their treatment of business energy users.

As a result of receiving more than 150 complaints per hundred thousand customers, EDF was the first company to receive a zero star rating in the league table of energy firms. The number of complaints it received rose by 74% from the previous quarter.

The data was compiled by consumer watchdogs Consumer Focus, Consumer Direct and the Energy Ombudsman, and covers July to September 2011.

Npower also lost stars, slipping to a 2-star rating, and E.ON fell to 3 stars.

The rise in complaints received by energy firms coincided with the double-digit energy price rises announced in the summer.

Adam Scorer, Director of External Affairs at Consumer Focus, said: “It is disappointing, but perhaps not surprising, that complaints on energy issues have risen at a time when energy bills are increasing. Energy companies have repeatedly said they want to rebuild consumer trust. Good customer service and complaints handling are key ingredients to building consumer trust but suppliers still have a long way to go.

“Complaints about EDF Energy over the summer have had a catastrophic impact on its rating. While system changes inevitably cause disruption to customers, this must be minimised. Its current complaints performance is unacceptable and the company must take further steps to tackle this.”

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading price comparison and switching service for businesses, said dissatisfaction about energy companies was not confined to domestic energy users.

“Business energy users also have major concerns about the way they are treated by the energy companies,” Mr Morgan said.

“Ofgem has just begun to realise this in its proposed reforms to give business electricity and business gas users a better deal. But we are still waiting to see if those reforms have real teeth.

“These figures show that energy suppliers may need more than a little encouragement when it comes to improving the way they treat both domestic and business energy users.”

The figures are the latest in a series of attacks on the major energy suppliers. Earlier this month Ofgem accused suppliers of making it too difficult for business energy customers to switch suppliers and of treating them unfairly when it came to back billing.

The Energy Advice Line is the UK’s only independent price comparison and switching services exclusively for small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables firms to quickly and simply compare business energy and business gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

Businesses can also prevent being caught unwittingly in expensive rollover contracts with their existing suppliers by signing up with the Energy Advice Line’s free renewal reminder service.  For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading price comparison and switching service for business, says businesses should focus their efforts on reducing their spending as well as chasing new sales.

“When consumer confidence is low, increasing sales can be a costly and time-consuming exercise,” Mr Morgan said.

“Many businesses don’t realise that reducing their direct costs can significantly increase profitability – and it costs them nothing to do. Firms would be wise to have a line-by-line review of their spending to see where it is possible to reduce costs.”

With energy costs one of the most significant overheads for many firms, particularly those in the hospitality, retail and manufacturing sectors, businesses that reduce spending in this area can make substantial savings by monitoring their business electricity prices and consumption rates together with their business gas rates.

And it is more important than ever for business energy users to ensure they are in control of their energy spend, Mr Morgan said.

In 2011, all the ‘big six’ energy companies announced price increases, some in excess of 20%. While these increases may not have impacted immediately on organisations on fixed energy contracts, the price hikes will hit home when these deals expire.

“Some of these business electricity and business gas users will face significant price increases when their contracts come up for renewal,” Mr Morgan said.

“If firms do not shop around for the best tariffs, they will miss out on an opportunity to reduce their energy costs.”

As an example, Mr Morgan said the Energy Advice Line recently helped a frozen food producer – with an annual energy bill in excess of £1 million – find a cheaper business energy deal when its fixed-term energy contract expired.

The Energy Advice Line was able to find a deal £270,000 cheaper than the renewal offer quoted by the firm’s existing supplier.

“Not all organisations have energy bill that large, but it illustrates the size of the savings that can be made by choosing your supplier carefully,” Mr Morgan said.

“Firms need to treat energy companies in the same way they would any other supplier – shop around and don’t stay with the same supplier year-on-year. You will be throwing money away if you do.”

The Energy Advice Line also advises all its customers to make sure their business electricity and business gas meters are working properly, and to provide regular monthly meter readings to suppliers.

Businesses that are unsure of whether their meter is working properly should request that a check meter be installed to verify the accuracy of the meter readings.

The Energy Advice Line has also produced a guide to helping organisations stay in control of their energy costs, which explains the methods used by energy companies to deter businesses from switching suppliers.

For further information about the Energy Advice Line, and to obtain a copy of the guide, visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

In an open letter to suppliers, the regulator has welcomed the development of ‘draft Standards’ to protect the smallest firms from the impact of backbilling, where customers can be rebilled for a higher amount when the supplier has made a billing error.

In the letter to the Energy Retail Association and ICOSS, Ofgem welcomed the ‘constructive approach’ taken by energy suppliers in seeking a ‘self-regulatory’ solution to the problem.

However, the regulator raised concerns about the time limit on backbilling. Under the draft Standards, suppliers have agreed to limit backbilling to three years instead of the current six-year limit.

Ofgem has suggested that the limit should be one year in line with the protection given to domestic energy users. The regulator said this was particularly appropriate where “there is clear supplier fault”.

Further, it suggested the draft Standards “should be applied to non-domestic customers more broadly”, not just micro businesses.

Ofgem also requested that suppliers should publish, “in the interests of transparency”, all details about cases where business energy users have been backbilled.

It suggested this information should include the number of backbills issued by a supplier over the previous year, the time limits applied for each of these cases and the overall cost of the backbill to the consumer.

Consumer watchdog Consumer Focus has long called for changes to backbilling regulations to give business energy users the same protection as domestic energy users.

It said that last year, 40% of all business energy cases handled by the Government’s advice line Consumer Direct related to backbilling. In some instances, businesses faced backbills of around £60,000, and if they were not in a position to pay quickly they faced disconnection.

Consumer Focus has also raised concerns about the haste in which some suppliers seek warrants to disconnect the power supply of firms that do not immediately pay the back-dated bills.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading price comparison and switching service for business, welcomed Ofgem’s call for suppliers to give business energy users a better deal on backbilling.

Mr Morgan said backbills stretching back up to six years had been a nightmare for many businesses that had suddenly found themselves in debt and their energy supply hastily disconnected.

“Furthermore, these outstanding backbills have made it more difficult for these firms to switch suppliers and reduce their energy costs,” Mr Morgan said.

“There has been a distinct lack of sympathy for these firms, which is unreasonable considering that in many of these cases, the supplier has made the billing error.

“Suppliers have made a move in the right direction by developing a set of draft Standards, but again Ofgem needs to ensure self-regulation has teeth.”

The Energy Advice Line is the UK’s leading energy price comparison and switching services for business, and enables firms to compare the market for the best possible business energy deals at the touch of a button.

The service has a team of business experts who can give advice about business electricity prices and business gas contracts and how to avoid expensive contract rollovers. For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

In his autumn economic statement, Chancellor George Osborne confirmed that the package of measures were designed to reduce the impact of carbon and energy policies on business energy users that used the highest levels of business electricity, including those in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

The package will be introduced in 2013.

In announcing the measures, Mr Osborne said was concerned about the financial repercussions for industry of UK and European environmental policies, including the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the carbon floor price.

Mr Osborne announced that the level of relief from the climate change levy on electricity will rise to 90%.  In addition, he said the Treasury would “explore options” for protecting energy-intensive industries from costs associated with electricity market reform.

Industry has demanded financial protection from the costs of implementing a wide range of policies aimed at reducing the UK’s carbon emissions. Green groups, however, have raised concerns that such protections would reduce the pressure on industry to adopt more sustainable forms of energy in the long term.

Mr Osborne’s announcements follow the closure in November of an aluminium smelter in the north-east run by Rio Tinto. The organisation blamed the closure and loss of 515 jobs on new carbon taxes.

Companies such as Tata Steel and Ineos have also warned that UK climate change policies are threatening their operations in the UK and could force them to move abroad. In May, Tata Steel said green taxes were a big factor in its decision to cut up to 1,500 British jobs in Scunthorpe and Teesside.

Mr Osborne said the £250 million package would “keep industry and jobs here in Britain”.

“If we burden [energy-intensive businesses] with endless social and environmental goals – however worthy in their own right – then not only will we not achieve those goals, but the businesses will fail, jobs will be lost, and our country will be poorer,” he said.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading business electricity prices and business gas prices comparison and switching service for businesses, said any relief for industry was welcome at a time of spiralling business energy prices.

He said it was also critically important for the largest business energy users to ensure they were appraised of the best available deals on the market and ensure they were not paying more than they needed to for their electricity.

“Independent price comparison and switching services are not just for small and medium-sized firms. We have helped organisations with sizeable annual energy spends reduce their bills significantly by comparing the best available business energy tariffs on the market.”

For further information about the Energy Advice Line, or for a free quote, visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk.

The guidelines are in response to energy regulator Ofgem’s recent announcement of plans to improve the behaviour of energy companies when dealing with business gas and business electricity customers.

Ofgem intends to introduce an accreditation scheme for energy brokers, as well as a Code of Practice, which it says will be enforced and financial penalties imposed in cases where the Code is breached.

E.ON has welcomed the announcement of a Code of Practice and said it would work with the regulator on its development. In the meantime, it has introduced its own guidelines to highlight the standards it expects from all parties involved in selling energy to business energy customers.

“It’s time to change the way we do business, as a company and as an industry, “ said Iain Walker, head of SME sales at E.ON.

“We’re committed to driving sales standards upwards and making life easier for our business customers. We believe that customers would be best served by a single independent code of practice, and we would like to work with Ofgem, businesses and the industry to develop this.”

Mr Walker said the purpose of E.ON’s own set of guidelines was to ensure that all parties were ‘fair, honest and transparent’ when dealing with business energy customers.

The guidelines would be aimed to ensuring that businesses were sold the most appropriate and cost-effective business energy contract for their needs, and that full details of products were made clear.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading energy price comparison and switching service for businesses, welcomed E.ON’s set of principles, but said a single Code of Practice was key.

“Standards need to improve across the industry, and while E.ON’s set of principles is a step in the right direction we believe the only way to deliver a better deal for business energy customers is a Code of Practice,” Mr Morgan said.

“This Code of Practice needs to be developed by Ofgem, business and the energy industry. It also needs to be enforced by an independent watchdog to ensure that it has meaningful benefits.”

The Energy Advice Line is the UK’s only price comparison and switching service exclusively for businesses. It enables firms to quickly and easily search for the best available business electricity prices and business gas deals from its panel of large and independent energy providers.

The service also offers a wide range of advice and guidance on business energy contracts, as well as a free renewal reminder service to help firms avoid being rolled over onto expensive energy contracts.

For further information about the Energy Advice Line’s services, or to obtain quotes or advice, visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on the Scottish Government to set up an impartial service to help business energy users that are being hit hard by rising energy prices.

In a recent survey of members, the FSB found that 80% of small to medium-sized firms in Scotland had seen their overheads rise in the past year, with the majority citing business energy costs as the most significant cause of this increase.

The FSB has called for greater scrutiny of the ‘big six’ energy companies and their behaviour towards business electricity and business gas users. It has also recommended clearer pricing structures and the opening up of the market to new suppliers.

Rory Mackail, the FSB’s vice-convenor of Scottish policy, said: “We know the pressure that the rising cost of energy is putting on households across the country. We’re also warning today that Scottish small businesses are also feeling the strain.

“Sharp practice by energy firms means that busy small business owners’ energy contracts are often rolled, locking them in for a further term at inflated prices. Small businesses can also be back-billed up to six years under current regulation. This means that there could be a number of small businesses in for a big shock when their next energy bill arrives.”

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s leading price comparison and switching service for business energy users, agreed that many firms were caught out by the tactics of power companies.

“Energy suppliers do whatever they can to deter business energy users from switching suppliers,” Mr Morgan said. “Rolling businesses over onto expensive and lengthy deals when their contracts expire is often where they make their profits.”

Mr Morgan urged firms whose business energy contracts were coming to an end to use an impartial price comparison and switching service like the Energy Advice Line.

“We have an expert team that can help businesses determine when their energy contracts end, when they need to give notice to their current supplier, and how to switch to the best available energy deals on the market, “ Mr Morgan said.

“We also provide an on-going service well after the switch has happened – at no cost at all to businesses.”

For further information and a free quote, visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

We were able to assure him that we would never use this sort of tactic, this just goes to show to what extremes some companies will go to ‘get that sale’ and employing these sort of tactics is not uncommon in the business environment.

It was only in July this year that we warned businesses to be wary of cold callers and rogue agents and it is not a problem that is going to go away until stricter regulations are brought in, Julian Morgan of the Energy Advice Line always recommends caution if you receive a call like this and stresses the need to talk to the experts.

“It’s crucial for businesses to use an impartial price comparison and switching service like the Energy Advice Line,” Mr Morgan said. “We always ensure that businesses have all the information they need – with no pressure – to make a well-informed and confident decision about the supplier they switch to.”

He urged businesses to follow the following steps to ensure they were not mis-sold an energy contract:

• Say no to cold calls – the Energy Advice Line never cold-calls businesses. Do not  accept an energy deal from someone who calls you out of the blue;

• Verify who you are talking to – ring the company back and ask to speak to your account manager to ensure they are being truthful about the company they represent;

• Price transparency – go with a broker who is prepared to put the energy tariffs they offer on their website so you can be sure you are making the right choice;

• Commission transparency – demand to know what commission the broker or service receives from the energy supplier in exchange for your introduction. If they will not tell you, be suspicious;

• Pressure selling – a professional price comparison and switching service will not exert any pressure on you to enter into a contract, and will give you the information and time you need to ensure you are making the right choice.

The Energy Advice Line, an impartial online business electricity and business gas price comparison service run by business energy experts for business energy customers, dedicated exclusively to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.

EAL has developed an online price comparison and switching service exclusively dedicated to business needs. Visit http://www.energyadviceline.org.uk/ for more details.