Can I swap business water suppliers?
Absolutely, you can switch business water providers. As of 2017, every business in England and Scotland which is not used principally as a residence can switch business water providers.
The devolved water industry has been structured to smooth the transition from one water provider to another.
Before we go into the advantages of a change of water provider for organizations, it is useful to have a brief insight into the various bodies that provide high-grade water to your company.
Business water companies tend to offer the same basic services, but they can be very different in terms of additional services that could be very useful.
Companies like Castle Water, one of the UK’s leading business water suppliers, offer additional guarantees like high-quality customer service.
Deregulation Means Your Choice
Deregulation in 2017 divided the water sector into water wholesalers and water providers.
While water wholesalers are the businesses in charge of supplying safe water and eliminating sewage from your premises and locality, water suppliers are the entities that supply water to your property. Wholesalers manage the whole water system, from the basins to the purification facilities to the pipelines that run into your compound.
Should you experience a fault with your water system, your water gauge, or piping, your wholesaler is there to fix the problem.
Your company can’t switch wholesalers as each one serves the infrastructure in a particular country area.
The Roles Of A Business Water Provider
Your business water provider purchases water in volume from the wholesaler and then sells it to commercial clients around the UK.
Business water providers generally have these roles:
- Providing accurate accounting of the water consumed for your company.
- Supplying customer support services and serving as a liaison in case of difficulties.
- Scheduling periodic water meter readings.
Business water suppliers deliver water and sanitation services to any non-domestic property in Scotland or England. In the free water supply system market, it is up to you to choose a different water provider for your organization.
What Are The Steps To Switching Your Water Provider?
Check out the rates of alternative providers. Every water provider can choose how much to bill its clients in the open water system market. The first stage in changing is to compare your current rate with the available options out there.
Select your new provider. This choice is not just about the price but also the level of care and attention you expect your new provider to deliver.
Get in contact with your new provider to begin the introductory phase. Getting started with a new provider typically includes approving a new delivery agreement and requires that the new provider’s credit check is passed.
Terminate supply with your existing vendor. When the onboarding procedure with your new vendor is completed, they will get in touch and arrange the transfer of your supplies with your former supplier.
Settle with your former vendor. Your former vendor raises a closing bill, which finalizes the changeover procedure.
If I Do Switch My Water Provider, What Then?
The volume of water and details of your premises’ supply is stored in a central register, monitored by the regulators. The database is refreshed whenever a meter figure is recorded, or anything changes to the service delivered to your premises.
Each supplier can access this database, making it seamless to change from one provider to the next. When you transfer water suppliers, you’ll receive the last bill from your previous provider, and then your new supplier will issue you with your very first invoice. It’s as straightforward as that.
The key point to remember is that there should be no difference in how the water reaches your premises. There should be no chance of a disruption in supply or a difference in the water standard you get.
It is best to do research into business water supply services in terms not just of how they get your water. How good is their online customer feedback and what is their environmental record?
Of course, you also need great customer service support when you liaise with over technical issues or anything that should transpire in the future.
When you’ve chosen a new business water supply firm, you may find it’s a productive relationship that lasts for years to come.
