Business Energy Investigation Guide

My business energy switch was blocked because I owe money. What can I do?

If your supplier says an outstanding balance is stopping your business energy switch, start by finding out exactly what they say you owe.

Do not pay a balance you believe is wrong simply to try to force the transfer through.

But do not ignore a genuine outstanding balance either.

You need to establish: the current balance; which invoices make up that balance; whether all payments and credits have been applied; whether you accept or dispute the amount; what the supplier says must happen before the transfer can proceed; whether another transfer application will be needed afterwards.

The debt and the blocked switch are connected, but they are not quite the same question.

First establish whether the balance is correct.

Then establish what needs to happen to the transfer.

What should I do first?

1Ask the supplier to confirm in writing that debt is the reason for the blocked transfer.
2Ask for the exact current outstanding balance.
3Ask which invoices and periods make up that balance.
4Check payments, credits and adjustments have been applied correctly.
5Decide whether you accept the balance, dispute it or have already paid it.
6Ask the supplier exactly what must happen before the transfer can proceed.
7If you agree a payment arrangement, separately ask what that means for the transfer.
8If you pay the balance, confirm the payment has been allocated and the blocker has been cleared.
9Ask the new supplier whether another transfer needs to be submitted.
10Keep evidence of attempted transfer dates and any extra costs caused by the delay.
11Raise a formal complaint if the balance or switching position is wrong or remains unresolved.

First check that debt is actually the reason

Customers are often simply told: "Your switch has been rejected."

That does not automatically tell you why.

Ask the incoming supplier:

Did my existing supplier raise an objection?
What reason was returned?
Which MPAN or MPRN was affected?
When was the objection raised?
Was the registration rejected for another reason?
Does the application need to be resubmitted?
If possible, can you provide the rejection or objection reason in writing?

There is little value arguing about a debt if the switch actually failed because of an incorrect MPAN, contract dates, a Change of Tenancy problem, an associated supply, a withdrawn registration or another technical issue.

Other reasons a business energy switch can be blocked

Find out exactly what the supplier says you owe

Do not accept a single balance figure without understanding it.

Ask for:

Current account balance
Copy invoices
Invoice dates
Billing periods
Meter readings used
Payments received
Credits applied
Credit notes
Unbilled consumption if relevant
Late payment charges if applicable
Previous account balances if relevant
Any balance transferred between accounts
Any security deposit treatment if relevant

The balance shown on a supplier account and the amount genuinely due can sometimes be different. Potential causes include:

A payment not allocated correctly
An estimated bill later corrected
A credit note not applied
The wrong meter being billed
Old occupier charges
Duplicate billing
A cancelled invoice still appearing in a balance
A genuine unpaid invoice
Recent consumption not yet fully billed
Disputed charges

This does not mean every supplier makes these mistakes. It means the balance needs to be understood before it is paid.

Do not pay a balance you genuinely believe is wrong just to get the switch through

This is not advice to withhold legitimately owed money.

It is advice to understand the balance first.

If the amount is genuinely disputed, clearly identify:

What amount you accept
What amount you dispute
Why you dispute it
What evidence supports your position
What correction you want

Ask the supplier to explain how the dispute affects the transfer.

This is especially relevant where the alleged debt results from:

Incorrect meter readings
Estimated usage
Wrong meter
Incorrect Change of Tenancy dates
Charges belonging to a previous occupier
Duplicate invoices
Missing credits
Incorrect contract rates
Backbilling issues

Meter readings don't match bill Meter serial number doesn't match bill Business energy bill validation

What if I really do owe the money?

If you check the account and agree the balance is correct, the next step is to speak to the supplier about how it needs to be resolved.

Potential pathways include:

Paying the balance in full
Paying the undisputed portion while another amount remains under investigation
Agreeing a repayment arrangement where the supplier is willing to do so
Asking for confirmation of any other condition the supplier says needs to be met before the transfer can proceed

There are two separate questions.

Question one: how will the outstanding balance be dealt with?

Question two: what is the supplier's position on the transfer?

A payment arrangement may answer the first question without automatically answering the second.

You need both answers.

I have paid the debt. Why is my switch still blocked?

Paying the balance does not necessarily cause an old transfer request to restart automatically.

Check:

Has the payment reached the correct account?
Has it cleared?
Has the account balance updated?
Has the supplier removed or withdrawn the objection?
Has the supplier updated the relevant registration record?
Does the incoming supplier need to resubmit the registration?
Is the original quote or contract still valid?
Has the intended supply start date changed?
What rates am I paying while I wait?

Subject: Confirmation of account balance and transfer position

Please confirm that the outstanding balance on account [ACCOUNT NUMBER] has now been cleared.

My proposed transfer to another supplier was previously prevented and I was advised that the balance was the reason.

Please confirm in writing whether any objection or restriction relating to this balance has now been removed and whether there is anything further required from me before the supply can transfer.

Please also confirm whether the incoming supplier needs to resubmit the registration.

I have agreed a payment plan. Can I now switch?

This depends on the supplier's position, the contract and the circumstances.

Do not assume that agreeing a repayment arrangement automatically means the supplier must allow the transfer.

Ask for written confirmation of:

The balance
The repayment schedule
Whether the supplier accepts the arrangement
Whether the transfer objection remains
If it remains, why
What must happen before it will be removed
Whether additional invoices continue to be due separately from the repayment arrangement

The debt is from a previous occupier

A new business occupier should not simply accept charges belonging to the previous legal entity or occupier.

The first step is usually to make sure the supplier has correctly processed the Change of Tenancy.

Ask for the supplier's records to show:

Date the previous occupier left
Date the new occupier became responsible
Legal name of the new customer
Opening meter reading
Evidence of occupancy where required
Correct account number
Correct billing start date

Until the occupancy records are corrected, an attempted switch may continue to run into problems.

Still being billed after moving out

The balance is caused by a bill I am disputing

Build an evidence pack. This should include:

The invoice in dispute
Previous invoices
Contract or agreed rates
Meter readings
Meter photographs if useful
Meter serial number
Payment records
Emails
Complaint reference
Change of Tenancy evidence where relevant
Timeline of when the problem started

The dispute needs to be specific.

"Your bill is wrong" is much less useful than:

"The invoice uses meter reading 48,210 on 31 August. My photograph taken that day shows 42,810. Please investigate this reading and recalculate the bill."

Disputed energy bill sent to debt collectors

What happens to my energy prices while the switch is delayed?

The old supplier normally continues supplying the site until the transfer actually completes.

The rates applying during that period depend on the contract and account circumstances.

Do not assume every post-contract rate is a deemed rate. Out of contract rates and deemed contracts are not always the same thing.

Establish:

The date your old fixed contract ended
What the contract says happens after expiry
The current unit rate
The current standing charge
Whether any other charges have changed
The date the new contract was supposed to begin
The date each attempted transfer failed
The eventual successful transfer date

If a supplier error later turns out to have unnecessarily delayed a transfer, this timeline may be relevant to a complaint about additional costs. That does not mean you are automatically entitled to reimbursement or compensation.

Calculate the cost of the delay

This is an illustration only. Use your own figures.

Old rate while delayed	35.0p per kWh
New agreed rate	25.0p per kWh
Difference	10.0p per kWh
Usage during a 30-day delay	10,000 kWh
Additional unit cost	£1,000

Standing charge differences may also need adding.

This is evidence of the financial impact. It is not proof that the supplier automatically owes that amount.

When should I make a formal complaint?

Consider raising a formal complaint if:

The supplier cannot explain the debt
Payments are missing
The balance keeps changing without explanation
The supplier refuses to identify the invoices involved
The account belongs to the wrong occupier
Disputed billing is not being investigated
The supplier says the debt is cleared but the switch continues to be blocked
You are repeatedly sent between the supplier and the incoming supplier
Nobody will explain what must happen next
The issue is causing substantial additional energy costs

Ask for the matter to be logged as a formal complaint and obtain a complaint reference.

Copy and paste complaint message

Subject: Formal complaint about business energy transfer being blocked

I am making a formal complaint regarding the transfer of my business energy supply.

I have been advised that the transfer has been prevented because there is an outstanding balance on my account.

Please provide:

1. The exact current balance.

2. A breakdown of the invoices or charges making up that balance.

3. Confirmation of any payments or credits applied to the account.

4. Confirmation of whether my proposed transfer has been formally objected to.

5. The exact reason for the objection.

6. Where relevant, the contractual basis you are relying upon.

7. Confirmation of what action is required from me for the objection to be removed.

8. Confirmation of what happens once that action has been completed.

9. Confirmation of whether the incoming supplier will need to submit the transfer again.

10. Confirmation of the rates currently applying to my supply while this issue remains unresolved.

Please record this as a formal complaint and provide the complaint reference.

I would also like all responses relating to the transfer objection to be provided in writing.

Can the Energy Ombudsman help?

Eligible Micro Business and Small Business customers may be able to escalate an unresolved complaint through the Energy Ombudsman, subject to scheme eligibility and complaint timescales.

This can normally happen after the supplier issues a deadlock letter or after the supplier has had more than eight weeks to consider the complaint.

Small Business eligibility criteria:

Fewer than 50 employees or their full-time equivalent AND annual turnover of no more than £6.5 million or a balance sheet total of no more than £5 million
OR annual electricity consumption of no more than 200,000 kWh
OR annual gas consumption of no more than 500,000 kWh

Not every business qualifies. Eligibility is subject to the Energy Ombudsman's scheme rules.

Ofgem does not investigate individual customer complaints.

Where the Energy Ombudsman finds in favour of an eligible complainant, financial awards can currently be up to £20,000. Compensation is not automatic.

How we investigate a debt blocked switch

When a customer tells us debt is stopping an energy transfer, we start with the account rather than simply trying the switch again.

We check the balance, the invoices behind it, payments and credits, the customer's contract position and the reason the supplier says the transfer cannot proceed.

If the balance is disputed, we identify exactly what needs investigating.

If the balance is correct, we establish what the supplier says must happen before the transfer can proceed.

The aim is to resolve the actual blocker before another transfer is attempted.

The failed transfer reason
The MPAN or MPRN involved
Current supplier
Incoming supplier
Contract end date
Current rates
New agreed rates
Account balance
Invoice history
Payment history
Meter readings
Whether any debt is genuinely disputed
Change of Tenancy records
Whether other meters or accounts are involved
Complaint history
Dates of every failed switch attempt

Real world experience

In our work we have seen business transfers delayed by genuine unpaid balances, disputed invoices, old occupier debt, account allocation problems and supplies where the customer believed the balance had already been cleared.

A business believed its account was clear because it had paid the most recent invoice. The transfer was still being rejected. When the account was reviewed, the supplier was showing another historic balance that the customer did not recognise. The correct next step was not simply another payment. It was to establish which invoice created the balance, whether it was valid and what the supplier required before the transfer could proceed.

A customer cleared an agreed outstanding balance but assumed the original transfer would now complete automatically. The incoming supplier still needed to confirm the registration position and what needed to happen next.

What not to do

Assume every failed switch is caused by debt.
Pay a figure you do not understand just to make the problem disappear.
Ignore genuine unpaid invoices.
Assume a payment plan automatically removes an objection.
Assume paying the balance restarts the switch.
Cancel the old Direct Debit without understanding what remains due.
Sign another contract without checking what has happened to the first incoming contract.
Lose the dates and evidence of failed transfer attempts.

What documents should I gather?

Latest bill
Previous bills
Contract
New contract confirmation
Account statement
Payment evidence
Meter reading photographs
Emails about the objection
Complaint correspondence
Change of Tenancy evidence where relevant
Incoming supplier rejection messages
MPAN or MPRN details

Frequently asked questions

Can my business energy supplier block me from switching because I owe money?▾

Debt can be relevant to a non-domestic transfer objection, but the position depends on the business contract and circumstances. Ask the supplier to confirm the exact balance, the invoices making it up and the contractual or account reason it says allows the transfer to be blocked. Do not apply domestic switching rules to a business energy contract.

My energy account is in debt but I dispute the bill. What should I do?▾

Identify exactly what you accept and what you dispute, and why. Gather the evidence: the invoice, previous invoices, meter readings, payment records and any relevant correspondence. Ask the supplier to confirm how the dispute affects the transfer. Do not pay a balance you believe is wrong simply to force the switch through.

If I pay my business energy debt will my switch automatically go through?▾

Not necessarily. Paying the balance does not automatically restart an old transfer request. The supplier may need to remove the objection, and the incoming supplier may need to resubmit the registration. Check both steps after payment.

Can I switch business energy supplier while on a payment plan?▾

This depends on the supplier's position, the contract and the circumstances. Agreeing a repayment arrangement does not automatically mean the supplier must allow the transfer. Ask for written confirmation of whether the objection remains and what must happen before it will be removed.

Why is my switch still blocked after I paid the balance?▾

Payment does not automatically update every connected record. Check that the payment has reached the correct account and cleared, that the account balance has updated, that the supplier has removed the objection and that the incoming supplier knows whether it needs to resubmit the registration.

Can a supplier object because of an unpaid final bill?▾

An unpaid balance can be relevant to a transfer objection depending on the contract and circumstances. Ask the supplier to identify the specific invoice, the amount and the contractual basis it is relying on.

What if the debt belongs to the previous tenant?▾

A new occupier should not accept charges belonging to the previous legal entity. Ask the supplier to confirm the Change of Tenancy date, the opening meter reading and the correct billing start date for the new occupier. Until the occupancy records are corrected, transfer attempts may continue to fail.

What if my supplier cannot explain where the balance came from?▾

Ask for a full account statement showing every invoice, payment and credit. If the supplier cannot identify the source of the balance, that is itself a reason to raise a formal complaint.

Can an estimated bill cause a supplier objection?▾

An estimated bill can produce a balance that does not reflect actual consumption. If the balance is based on estimated readings, ask the supplier to reconcile the account using actual meter readings and confirm whether the corrected balance changes the transfer position.

What happens to my rates while the switch is delayed?▾

The old supplier normally continues supplying the site until the transfer completes. The rates applying depend on the contract. Not every post-contract rate is a deemed rate. Establish the current unit rate, standing charge and the date those rates started.

Will my new supplier keep the price it originally offered?▾

This depends on the new supplier's terms and how long the delay has been. Contact the incoming supplier to confirm whether the agreed contract and rates remain valid and whether the intended start date has changed.

Can I claim back the extra energy costs caused by a delayed switch?▾

Do not assume compensation is automatic. Keep evidence of the delay, the rates you paid and the rates you expected to move onto. If a supplier error is later established, that evidence may be relevant to a complaint and any remedy considered.

Should I cancel my Direct Debit if I am disputing the balance?▾

Do not cancel a Direct Debit without understanding what remains due. Cancelling a Direct Debit while a genuine balance exists can complicate the account further. If you are disputing specific charges, raise the dispute formally while continuing to pay amounts you accept.

When should I make a formal complaint?▾

Consider a formal complaint if the supplier cannot explain the debt, payments are missing, the balance keeps changing without explanation, disputed billing is not being investigated, or the supplier says the debt is cleared but the switch remains blocked. Ask for a complaint reference.

Can the Energy Ombudsman deal with a blocked business energy switch?▾

Eligible Micro Business and Small Business customers may be able to use the Energy Ombudsman after receiving a deadlock letter or after the supplier has had more than eight weeks to consider the complaint. Not every business qualifies. Check the current scheme eligibility rules.

Other reasons a switch can be blocked Business energy bill validation Meter readings don't match bill Meter serial number doesn't match bill Still being billed after moving out Disputed bill sent to debt collectors Supplier hasn't sent a bill for months

Is debt stopping your business energy switch?

Send us your latest business energy bill and any information the supplier has given you about the blocked transfer.

We can help work through the balance, payments, contract and transfer history to identify what needs resolving before the switch can proceed.

Send my bill for review Call 01256 844048