13 May 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal

Business owners who rent their premises should take greater control over their finances, says a commercial energy price comparison firm. 

Love Energy Savings said: “Many renters could be paying over the odds for their gas and electricity because it isn’t crystal clear in the terms of their tenancy as to who supplies their energy.” 

The comments came shortly after a report from the British Chambers of Commerce and British Gas showed that 27 per cent of business owners who rent a space feel they have no influence over energy-efficiency improvements in their building. 

’Managing director of Love Energy Savings, Phil Foster, said: “With commercial property rents rising again, it’s crucial that businesses find ways to trim their outgoings.” 

He added: “Communication is key. Talk to your landlord, building manager and energy supplier at the earliest opportunity, and make sure you’re not getting a raw deal. Ask them if you can make energy-efficiency changes, and if they say no, find out why.”

It’s not just inefficient buildings that are causing businesses to lose money unnecessarily. 
Many commercial tenants assume they will be on the cheapest energy tariff when they move into a property, but this is rarely the case, according to Love Energy Savings. 
Suppliers will generally roll over the previous tenant’s contract and it’s highly unlikely that this will be the best deal, said the group. 

Foster added:  “If the tenant is responsible for the meter they can dictate the supplier, however, in a serviced office environment the landlord agrees the contracts and recharges the cost to the tenants.”