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How to switch business water suppliers
Our water experts make switching business water suppliers completely hassle-free. Use our simple service to enjoy cheaper business water rates and improved customer service.
Request a quote
Request water quotes for your business with our postcode finder above. Enter your business postcode and a couple of details to begin.
Review the quotes
Choose the quote that works best for your business, and we’ll handle all the necessary paperwork with your new supplier, ensuring a stress-free transition.
Switch complete
Once we have your signed contract, we’ll ensure the switch goes smoothly. You’ll soon start receiving your cheaper water bills from your new supplier.
Benefits of switching business water suppliers
Here are the key benefits when changing to a new business water supplier.
Cost Savings
Switching business water suppliers can help you save up to 20% on your water bills, as newly licensed suppliers offer more competitive rates.
Improved Service
Newer suppliers may offer more innovative and customer-centric services, which can improve your overall water supply experience.
Fixed Rates
Securing a fixed water rate for a long period of time. By moving to a new supplier, your business can lock in your retail fee for a fixed period of time.
Can I switch my business water supplier?
Yes, you can switch business water suppliers. Since 2017 any property in England and Scotland that isn’t primarily used as a home can choose its business water supplier.
The history of water deregulation
On deregulation in 2017, the water industry was split into water wholesalers and business water suppliers.
Water wholesalers maintain the local water infrastructure and supply clean water, and remove wastewater from properties in the local area. An example is Thames Water.
Companies cannot switch wholesalers as each looks after the infrastructure in a particular region of the UK, but they can choose their business water supplier.
A business water supplier purchases water from the wholesaler in bulk and then sells it to their individual business customers anywhere in the country.
Business water supplier responsibilities
- Accurately invoice your company for water used.
- Provide customer services and act as a point of contact if anything goes wrong.
- Arranging for regular meter readings.
The business water supplier provides water and wastewater services to any non-household property in England or Scotland. In the open water market, you can switch business water suppliers.
Change Business Water Suppliers
Have you noticed that your business water bills are higher than usual? Have you seen a steady increase over the last several years, and you’re unsure why?
Business water rates increase each year in April because:
- The underlying cost of maintaining the British water and sewerage networks increases each year.
- In the deregulated water market, business water suppliers can increase their prices each April.
Watching your business water bill continue to rise can be stressful, but the good news is that you don’t have to stick with your current business water supplier.
Thanks to water deregulation, the retail market is open for businesses in England and Scotland, creating the opportunity to switch your business water supplier.
Do I sign a contract when changing business water suppliers?
When a property is supplied with water services from a business water supplier, there are two types of contract:
- A fixed-term contract – A specific contract you agree on when you switch business water suppliers where business water rates are fixed for a defined period.
- Deemed contract – Where your property is supplied with water services, but you have not agreed on a fixed-term contract. Under a deemed contract, you will pay default business water tariff rates that rise annually.
When you switch water suppliers, you’ll agree to a fixed-term contract with your new business water supplier. Here are the full details of what’s included in a business water contract:
What’s included in a business water contract?
AquaSwitch has helped thousands of businesses switch business water suppliers. When making a move to switch water suppliers, it’s necessary to sign a business water contract.
Business water contracts are legally binding, so it’s important to understand what you are signing up for. The terms and conditions in business water can be a little complicated, so here’s our guide to the different items in a business water contract:
Details of your business:
- Business name – The legal name of your business. This is the business that will be responsible for paying water bills.
- Business registration number – The registration number of your business on Companies House.
- Business SIC code – This determines the amount of VAT on your business water bills.
- Contact name/email address and phone number – The day-to-day contact at your company and their details so your supplier can contact you.
Details of your business water supplier:
- The name of your supplier – The contract will typically be branded with the logos of the business water supplier who you are contracting, including their legal name and address.
- TPI name – The name of the broker you’ve used (if applicable).
Details of your business water supply:
- Supply address(es) – The address of the properties using water services.
- SPID numbers – A unique identifier used in the water industry for properties connected to the water network (a full guide to SPIDs)
- Estimated consumption – An estimate of how much water (in cubic meters) each supply point will use annually.
- Wholesale water rates – A breakdown of the local water company unit and standing charges that apply to your properties (here’s our full guide to business water rates)
- Retail fees – The additional charge your business water supplier is adding to your bill for their services.
- Contract term – The number of months your property will be supplied with water services under the contract terms.
Payment method details
- Payment terms – In a standard contract, you’ll either pay by direct debit or with BACS with agreed payment terms.
- Expected yearly charge – Your contract will show an expected annual charge based on your water rates and estimated consumption. This estimated charge will be used for the first invoices until your first water meter readings are recorded.
- Direct debit details (if applicable) – This is a standard direct debit guarantee form that most people will be familiar with and will include bank account name, number and sort code.
💡Regardless of your contract end date, you can always cancel a business water contract without incurring an exit fee if you move business premises.
What happens when I switch business water supplier?
The water supply details of your property are recorded on a central database overseen by Ofwat and MOSL, the regulators. The database is updated whenever a meter reading is recorded, or anything changes in the supply to your property.
Each supplier has access to this database, allowing for a seamless transfer from one supplier to another.
At the start of the switching process, you’ll sign a fixed contract, committing you to a fixed tariff with your new business water supplier. Your new supplier will then work behind the scenes to arrange for a switch on the central database.
Once complete, you will receive a final bill from your old supplier and your first bill from your new supplier. It really is as simple as that.
The crucial thing to remember is there is no change to how water actually gets to your property. There is no risk of supply interruption or any changes to the water quality you receive.
How long does it take to switch business water supplier?
If you are currently out of contract like most businesses in England, the switching process typically takes five weeks.
It begins with entering your postcode into our smart business water comparison tool and being provided with a range of quotes from water suppliers. You will then select your preferred quote and be sent a contract, Letter of Authority, and a Direct Debit mandate to sign.
Once completed, our business water experts will manage the switching process and will let you know your “go-live date”
If you are currently in a business water contract, you can secure a switch up to 3 months before the contract end date. However, you can’t switch before.
Who can switch their business water supplier?
To be eligible to switch business water suppliers, your property needs to be:
- Located in England or Scotland.
- Not primarily used as a home.
Commercial properties that meet the above definition have been allocated a supply point ID (SPID) that enables the business water supply switching process.
The situation is a little more complex if your business is located in Wales. Only business properties with large water consumption are eligible for switching.
Can my small business change water supplier?
Yes, the suppliers in this guide have a licence from Ofwat or the Water Commission for Scotland to supply any non-household in Britain, both large and small.
The only requirement for small businesses to be able to choose a business water supplier is to have a supply point ID (“SPID”).
All water bills your business receives will display your SPID.
Can I switch business water suppliers if I am a sole trader or self-employed?
Yes, sole traders and self-employed people can switch business water suppliers, but only if the building you want to switch isn’t a home.
Ofwat offers the following guidance on what constitutes a home:
For the purposes of the licensing framework (section 17C WIA91), household premises are those in which, or in any part of which, a person has his home, and where the principal use of the premises is as a home. For example, a farm serves both as the farmer’s home and the farmer’s place of business, but ordinarily its principal use will be as a business. So it would not be a household premise.
Source: Ofwat report
In England and Scotland, you have the right to switch your business water supplier if the water is being supplied to a building that is not a home.
On deregulation, all buildings not considered homes were allocated a water supply point ID.
Switch Business Water Supplier FAQs
Here are the most commonly asked questions – answered just for you!
Will switching business water suppliers affect my water supply?
No. Switching business water suppliers will not affect your water supply. This is because the local water supply infrastructure remains the same, regardless of your chosen supplier.
When you switch business water suppliers, you are still using the same water and wastewater network, and the same quality of water will be supplied to your premises. The new business water supplier will just take over billing and customer service responsibilities.
We recommend that you compare business water suppliers before deciding to ensure you choose the one that best meets your business needs.
How much money can I save by switching business water suppliers?
It depends; businesses that have never switched business water suppliers before can save the most. Here’s how much you can expect to save by switching business water suppliers:
- English properties – Immediate savings between 5-15% on business water rates.
- Scottish properties – Savings of up to 35% on business water rates.
We can only provide a rough estimate because water rates vary from region to region and depend on the amount of water your business uses.
Find out precisely how much your business can save by switching suppliers with our business water comparison service.
💡Business water suppliers are now offering green business water tariffs as an incentive to switch business water suppliers.
Can I change business water supplier across multiple properties?
Absolutely. Using our water bill consolidation service, your business can make significant savings and benefit all your properties on a single contract. All your properties will appear on the same invoice with consolidated billing, making managing your business water costs much more manageable.
Can I switch the water supplier for my holiday let?
Properties classified as “non-household” can switch business water suppliers. However, if your holiday let is recorded as a household, you will not be able to change suppliers using the AquaSwitch compare and switch service.
The best way to find out if your holiday let is a non-household or a household is to check your latest water bill. On the water bill, you’ll be able to see if you are being charged as a household or a non-household.
If a water wholesaler is invoicing you, your property will be a household. If a business water supplier invoices you, your property will be listed as a non-household.
For a list of wholesalers and business water suppliers, please see our table below:
| Regional water companies | Business water suppliers |
|---|---|
| Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig | Anglian Water Business |
| Hafren Dyfrdwy Cyfyngedig | Brightwater |
| Scottish Water | Business Stream |
| Northumbrian Water | Cambrian Utilities |
| Severn Trent Water | Castle Water |
| Southern Water | Clear Business Water |
| South West Water | ConservAqua |
| Thames Water | Everflow |
| United Utilities | First Business Water |
| Wessex Water | Pinnacle Business Water |
| Yorkshire Water | Pure Business Water |
| Affinity Water | Source for business |
| Bristol Water | Regent Water |
| Portsmouth Water | Smarta Water |
| South East Water | Veolia Water |
| South Staffordshire Water | The Water Retail Company |
| Sutton and East Surrey Water | Water Plus |
If I change business water supplier, will this affect my water bills?
Yes, you will sign up for a new tariff when you change business water supplier. Your new tariff will determine how your water bills are calculated.
Using the AquaSwitch business water comparison service, companies can typically save between 10% and 20% on overall water bills.
Can I switch business water supplier in Wales?
Most businesses in Wales are not eligible to switch business water suppliers.
Only Welsh businesses using over 50 million litres of water yearly can switch business water suppliers. In practice, Welsh water deregulation only applies to a handful of industries that use a vast amount of water yearly.
Do I need consent for my trade effluent?
Trade effluent consent is required for commercial properties discharging anything into the sewers that aren’t domestic sewage. The regulators define domestic sewage as wastewater produced by:
- Toilets
- Showering and bathing
- Commercial cooking for sale directly to consumers.
- Washing dishes and cooking equipment.
Trade effluent is a complex area of the water industry. Check out our complete guide to Trade Effluent.
Do I need to let my supplier know when moving business premises?
When leaving your premises, it’s best to notify your business water supplier before the date you leave. That way, the supplier can arrange for a final meter reading to be taken so they can send you an accurate final bill.
If you are in an existing contract with a business water supplier, but your business is moving or relocating, then your water supplier must release you from your water contract without any additional fees.
Here’s our full guide to managing your water supply when moving business premises.
What information do I need to switch business water supplier?
To change business water suppliers, you need the following details to ensure a smooth switch:
- The legal name of your business
- The address where your business is located
- Your supply point identification number (SPID)
- Contact details so we can provide you with your tailored comparison report.
Can I save money by switching business water supplier?
Yes, you can save money by comparing the different suppliers and moving to a water tariff with lower rates. At AquaSwitch, we’ve helped thousands of businesses save money on their water rates.
Start today by entering your address in our smart water comparison tool above.
Another easy way to save money on water costs is to consider improving the water efficiency of your business.
Here are some quick tips to implement at your company to reduce overall water consumption and save money.
- Installing tap aerators.
- Using rainwater harvesting systems.
- Cistern reduction devices.
- Regular maintenance checks.
- Fixing small business water leaks.
How do credit scores affect switching business water suppliers?
When you sign a business water contract, you will typically give permission for your chosen supplier to conduct a credit check.
The water supplier will request the credit score from a credit rating agency and analyse the credit risk associated with the proposed tariff. Depending on the credit assessment, the business water supplier may:
- Accept the proposed contract and begin onboarding your company as a customer.
- Suggest an amended payment structure, such as prepayment of bills, to reduce their exposure to credit risk.
- Reject the proposed contract due to excessive credit risk.
💡 If you conduct business as a sole trader, the credit check will be based on your personal credit history.
Switch business water supplier jargon buster:
Business water supplier – The company that provides your business with:
- Invoices for water and wastewater services
- Customer service
- Regular water meter readings
Supply Point identifier (SPID) – A unique identifier associated with each water and wastewater supply point in England and Wales. The SPID is used in the water industry to allow seamless transfer from one water supplier to another.
Trade Effluent – Where a business discharges any liquid produced in a business property by a trade or production activity into the sewers. Trade effluent will be charged separately by your business water supplier. Your switch to a new business water supplier will include the trade effluent charges.
Water audit – The process of analysing and validating historical water charges paid by your business to identify mistakes that represent overcharging. We recommend that large companies conduct a water audit alongside your water switch.
Water wholesalers – The regional company responsible for maintaining the water and wastewater networks and providing high-quality potable water.
Water Switch Objections – When a water supplier objects to a switch when you are currently in-contract or have outstanding unpaid bills.