Hospitals could save at least £999 on their energy bills every year by signing up to a new scheme run by a utility broker.
Business Energy Consultants (BEC) is offering a guarantee to hospitals to provide them with cheaper utility bills.
BEC works with a range of commercial organisations to negotiate cheaper utility bills, including gas, electricity, water and telecoms. It promises to save every organisation a minimum of £999 on their annual bills when they switch three utilities to BEC. If this saving is not met, the difference is refunded.
As energy prices continue to rise, we are working with hospital managers to save substantial amounts by finding better tariffs and contracts
James Longley, managing director, said: “Energy and utility costs are a significant expense for the medical sector, seriously impacting on profit margins. As energy prices continue to rise, we are working with hospital managers to save substantial amounts by finding better tariffs and contracts. We have an expert team that are dedicated to finding the right fit for each individual client.”
BEC evaluates an organisation’s utility usage as a starting point for negotiating new contracts. It has access to changing tariffs so it can arrange the most cost-effective deal for each customer. For example, greater savings can sometimes be achieved by signing up to a longer contract with a fixed higher price than a one-year contract at a lower rate. BEC advisers also check clients are paying the correct rate of VAT as this varies from industry to industry.
A Citizens Advice survey from late last year showed that the big six suppliers will have increased their prices by 37% since October 2010. These leading utility companies made a combined £1.2billion last year, up 75% on 2011.
