Our Process

Letter of Authority

First thing we do is ask you to sign a Letter of Authority for us to act on your behalf. This letter allows us to deal on your behalf with suppliers, distributors, meter operators and meter installers as required. Suppliers in general are not keen to see customers get a good deal and will do everything they can to be obstructive. The letter negates the most common practice of them hiding behind the Data Protection Act to hamper us helping you.

Armed with your Letter of Authority we collect additional data, issue various notices (if needed), negotiate prices and monitor any contract placement for you. I must stress that only you can sign any offer a supplier makes. The letter does not allow us to commit your business or sign on your behalf. Only you or your authorised signatory can do that.

You will see that the Letter is for a period of 36 months. You may ask why the period is so long. The short answer is to obtain your optimum contract length. Most suppliers give their best offer of around one or two years. However, occasionally, with the right energy market conditions there is an opportunity to fix a price for three years at a better rate. Remember what I said about the suppliers not wanting you to get a good deal? If your letter does not cover the period we are negotiating for they may not give us a 36 month price.

The Letter is not a contract and you can withdraw your authority at any time. 

What you can expect to happen during the negotiation process up to, and including, registration with your chosen supplier

Stage 1 (The Tender Process) – approx 4 weeks

1. Once we are instructed to act on your behalf we start to analyse, then prepare and submit your supply details to the utility supply market with a tender deadline date. This is commonly a two-week period but can be amended to suit your existing contractual circumstances. It may not be possible to immediately go to the market if you are in a fixed term contract. We will update you with your contract trigger dates as soon as we have identified them.
2. If we can go to market, post-tender negotiations are undertaken in order to ensure the best rates and supply period are obtained.
3. Our recommendations are presented to you for consideration and action. Due to our hard negotiation, which results in a small margin for the suppliers and rapid price changes in the energy market, they will frequently only hold the price offered for a few hours. It is essential that, at this time, we have access to you, or your authorised signatory, for a decision to be made if you want the best price available at the time.

Stage 2 (Placing of Supply Contract) – approx 3 days

1. After you have signed, the completed application documents are sent by us to the chosen supplier for acceptance
2. At this time you should consider cancelling any payment arrangements for your old contract/s e.g. Direct Debits
3. Take your meter reading/s and store them safely - we would suggest near the meter.
4. We then obtain confirmation from the supplier that a firm contract at quoted rates is in place and obtain an anticipated supply start date. (This is the date your new rates are expected to start.)

Stage 3 (The Registration Process) – up to 4 weeks

1. Your chosen suppler/s are monitored to ensure successful registration.
2. The actual supply start date (date of transfer to the new supplier or continuing with your existing one) is confirmed
3. The new supplier account number obtained. Where applicable, new contract documentation and terms and conditions are obtained* and checked
   *this is not always provided by the supplier for smaller supplies

Stage 4 (The Follow-Up) – approx 4 weeks

1. Copy bills are requested by utility assist to enable us to monitor consumption and more importantly check the rates being charged on your behalf.
2. Termination instructions sent to new suppliers in order that your supply is not rolledover at the end of its initial period. (This doesn’t prevent renewal with that supplier if that is the best option).