Small business owners have been left confused by recent changes to the rules on energy contracts.
Regulator Ofgem brought in changes to the rules on business energy at the end of last month, in an effort to simplify the process of choosing and switching suppliers. But the changes have actually resulted in a less transparent process, according to business comparison site Make It Cheaper.
As things now stand, every major energy provider seems to be interpreting the rules differently - with cancellation windows the main point of contention. These windows represent the period during which businesses can cancel their contracts without having them automatically renewed.
The cancellation windows offered by some providers are now as short as 30 days - and often come up to 90 days before the end of the current contract.
There is also confusion regarding which businesses the new rules apply to. Ofgem has said the guidelines should apply to all firms with fewer than 10 employees, annual energy usage of 55,000 kWh or less, or turnover of less than 2 million euros. But some providers have refused to abide by these criteria.
If you have recently changed energy suppliers, or plan to do so, you should contact your provider to find out which rules they are following.
