Yet another letter through the door with a scary notice saying something you don’t understand or know how to deal with. This time it’s not a bill, it’s a gas renewal? If you are struggling to remember how you dealt with this last year, or if you have never done it before, don’t worry, the answers are all here.
First answer is, yes, as annoying as it is, you may have to spend a weekday evening sorting this out properly if you don’t want to get ripped off (there is serious danger of being high key ripped off with this one!).
If that sounds like a living hell, click here to find people who can help you out or just do this for you.
Want to deal with it yourself? Okay here we go!
So, what are gas renewals?
A ha! I’m finally answering the question I promised I would!
Most businesses are on contracts for their gas that last a year and then roll over to the next year if not renewed. So, when you get that letter through the door telling you that your contract is up for renewal, you don’t need to panic, it will just roll over to the next year and you can just carry on as you always have done without any problem whatsoever! You can just forget this whole thing and carry on paying your bills.
But here is the catch: you will end up paying a lot more.
Why is this?
Without a renewed (and agreed upon!) contract, the company charges you a premium to cover your usage. Yep, you guessed it, premiums cost more, and like all things that cost more they have fun little names to distract you; for example, EDF’s is called “Variable Price Plan”. Although according to Which, British Gas is the most expensive.
Your gas provider will have to warn you (on average 90-70 days in advance) that your contract is up for renewal.
You can stick with them or you can switch to someone else.
If you switch to a different provider you will have to pay any outstanding bills (unavoidable, sorry!).
Do you have time to comb through every single gas supplier out there and compare prices for your business? If you don’t click here.
If you do, just remember, it’s not only the prices you need to check against each other. You should also be aware of how good the customer service is from each provider. It’s all well and good feeling smug about the extra pennies you’re saving until your boiler breaks, your gas provider is nowhere to be seen and you have to shut business until they show their faces.
Don’t think you can stop at Trustpilot though! Check those staff reviews on Glassdoor too. If you are a business owner, you’ll know that staff who are treated right do their job well. Why do you think Amazon has such a quick staff turnover?
Sound like a lot of work to do just for gas? Remember there’s the electricity to sort out too! Seriously, get some help with this, because even after you put all this work in, it’s still likely that you could end up picking something that won’t work for you for a whole year (maybe more if you forget to sort this out next year!)
If you need help with this, trust us, this is our job.
If you’re looking for quick answers to some FAQ’s, have a look down here:
- Is it worth fixing your energy prices?
Be aware though that if energy prices rise over the next few years, you could end up switching to a pricier deal when your short fix ends. The less likely you are to switch, the more you should consider a long fix. You may not get quite such a good rate, but it’ll stay relatively cheap, even if you’re inactive.
- How long does a gas safe qualification last?
12 months
Once you’re Gas Safe registered, it lasts 12 months – so you’ll need to renew one year from the date you registered. All the current fees for registration and renewals are available on our website.
- How much does it cost to be Gas Safe registered?
You can apply for registration easily online or alternatively you can download a registration form. The cost of a new application is £347 plus VAT. This includes one engineer and registration fees for one year.
- How do I renew my Gas Safe registration?
If you need to renew your registration with Gas Safe Register you will need to login to your online account and click on ‘Renew’ in the Account Management menu.
- How do I check if a plumber is Gas Safe registered?
To check if an individual engineer is currently Gas Safe registered you will need to know their unique 7-digit licence number. You will find this on the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card. Please note that we issue engineers with a new ID card annually, and each new card will have a different licence number.
- How do I get on the Gas Safe Register?
How to become Gas Safe
- Undertake an Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) training & Assessment.
- Complete an on-site portfolio of gas work.
- Obtain a CCN1 qualification.
- Register with Gas Safe Register.
For more information about this post and how Energy Solutions can help with your Electricity, Gas, or Water, click on the links, or check out the contact details at the bottom of the page.