Every business in the UK, big or small, will need a water supply if they operate out of a main office or establishment. 

While businesses such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels will need a water supply to provide all their services to customers, offices need a water supply too. It is a legal requirement to have a bathroom and drinkable water to hand for all your employees.

Recent changes to legislation have privatised the business water industry, meaning you now have a choice of water supplier or water retailer. This is good because it allows you to shop around but bad because suppliers and retailers will set their prices.

With that in mind, here are four reasons you should consider changing your water supplier business.

Double Check Your Trade Effluent Licence

Every business that deals with large quantities of water with contaminants will need a trade effluent licence.

Only some businesses will need one, so you should research the kind of licence you should get if you require one for your operation.

It also may be the case that you are being charged for trade effluent when you don’t need it. This is rare, but it does happen.

Businesses that deal with harsh chemicals will mostly need a licence, for example, construction, farming, or manufacturing businesses.

Different suppliers and retailers can provide a variety of trade effluent rates, depending on location, available services, and the deals that have been brokered between water companies and water wholesalers.

Always be sure to assess the full cost of a licence if you do need one.

Save Your Capital

Every business owner will be looking for ways to cut operational costs. The less money you spend running the business, the further your profit margins can reach. 

Among other things, utility bills will account for a big chunk of your outgoings every month and so looking at ways to reduce their cost can help you save money.

Switching to another business for your water supply can be a good way to slash your water costs and retain capital for re-investment into your business.

Every supplier or retailer in the business water industry will have different rates and fees. It’s best to shop around a few companies and gain multiple quotes to enable you to switch to the best retailer or supplier for your business.

Water retailers are a great place to start looking, as they often work closely with water supplies to broker the best deal possible for their customers.

Sub-par Customer Care

This may not initially seem like a primary reason to consider a switch, but poor customer service is never a good thing, and in the long run, it can end up costing you money.

Nobody likes sitting on a phone in a waiting queue or sending off an email only to get a reply a week later. Time-sensitive issues, such as incorrect billing information or abnormalities on a bill, can end up costing you hundreds.

The bottom line is that if they don’t care enough to put together a good customer care team, that’s a huge red flag to avoid.

Always check third-party review sites to get an idea of the kind of customer service they have available, such as Trustpilot.

More Versatile Billing Options

Out of all the utility bills a business will pay, the water utility bill tends to be one of the most complex in terms of breakdowns and jargon. It can be easy to get confused about the charges and how much money you are paying.

Water utility bills will be tailored to your situation, making it hard to find a clear explanation online too. 

If your water bill is complex, then it may be time to consider switching, as complex utility bills are a good way for fees to be hidden or management costs to be inflated without knowing why.

While this is a worst-case scenario, it does happen, so you should question every fee on a water bill you receive for a clear answer to where your money is going.

Some water companies and retailers may also have a very old-fashioned approach – billing every building separately and having all their billing offline.

Switching can give you more options, such as consolidated billing for multiple establishments and having online customer portals that give you unprecedented control over your water bills.

In Summary

Water bills can take a chunk out of your monthly budget for your business, so cutting that cost as low as it can go will always be a good thing.

Be sure to shop around the different water retailers and suppliers to ensure that you can find the best deal for your area and business.