You have found a cheaper deal. Now the doubts creep in. Will the power stay on? Who tells your old supplier? And when will the saving finally show up on a bill?
Switching business electricity suppliers is less dramatic than it sounds, but it is not instant either. Between your first quote and your first bill sit several small stages, and each one runs on its own clock. Some take minutes. Others depend on a date buried in your current contract.
This article walks through a realistic timeline, stage by stage, with worked examples, the delays that catch people out and a checklist you can use today. It draws on Ofgem rules, Citizens Advice guidance and the switching pages of major UK energy services providers, alongside our own experience helping UK businesses compare and switch.
How long does it take to switch business electricity suppliers?
Once you are out of contract, most switches complete within two to four weeks of signing, and some guides put the upper limit at about 30 days. Our own guidance is two to six weeks, depending on the supplier and contract type. The technical transfer itself is faster: Citizens Advice says you should be switched within five working days, and Octopus Energy says a business switch usually takes three days from sign-up. The slow part is normally paperwork, not wiring.
Still inside a fixed term? The rules change. You can agree a new deal months ahead, but it only starts on the day your current contract ends.
Your switching timeline at a glance
Stage | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
1. Check your contract | Find your end date, notice terms and MPAN | 1 to 2 hours |
2. Compare and choose | Get quotes and sign a Letter of Authority | 1 to 3 days |
3. Agree the contract | Read the terms, sign, supplier runs credit checks | 2 to 7 days |
4. Objection window | New supplier tells your old one; short window to object | About 2 working days |
5. Switch date | Billing moves to the new supplier; the power does not change | 5 working days to 4 weeks if out of contract, or your contract end date |
6. Final bill | Old supplier closes your account | A few weeks |
7. First new bill | You check rates, standing charge and VAT | Depends on your billing cycle |
Typical order of events when you switch business electricity suppliers. Timings vary by contract and supplier.
Key things to know before you switch
Here is the groundwork that saves weeks.
Know your contract end date and notice rules
Your situation decides when you can move and what you must do first. Leaving a fixed term early can trigger an exit fee, so it is usually best to wait until the end date.
Your situation | When you can switch | Notice needed? |
|---|---|---|
Fixed term, microbusiness | At the end, or earlier with an exit fee | Usually none |
Evergreen contract (no end date) | Any time | Up to 30 days |
Larger business, fixed term | At the end | Check your contract; 30 to 90 days is common |
Out of contract, rolled over or deemed rates | Any time | Usually none |
Ofgem removed the termination notice requirement for most microbusiness contracts, but evergreen contracts can still require up to 30 days’ notice, and windows for larger businesses usually open 30 to 90 days before the end date and can be much longer. Not sure whether you count as a microbusiness? You qualify if you meet any one of several tests, such as using up to 100,000 kWh of electricity a year, or having fewer than 10 employees and turnover or a balance sheet of £2 million or less.
Watch the rollover trap. A rollover period cannot exceed 12 months, after which you sit on an out-of-contract tariff, and these are usually very expensive. Suppliers should also write to microbusinesses about three months before a fixed term ends, but do not wait for the letter.
Gather the details every quote needs
Business address and postcode
Your MPAN, the 13-digit number on your electricity bill
Annual usage in kWh and your meter type (single rate, day and night, or half-hourly)
Current supplier and contract end date
Company name and registered address, exactly as registered
Start earlier than feels necessary
EDF says you can start looking up to a year before your contract ends, and some guides suggest six to ten months. There is no Ofgem price cap on business energy, so a fixed deal agreed early is your main protection against price swings. Our guide to business electricity rates in October 2026 shows what a good rate looks like for your size.
Stage by stage switching process
Here’s what may happen after you choose a deal.
Stage 1: Quote, Letter of Authority and decision (days 1 to 3)
Enter your postcode and usage on our quote form and we gather offers from suppliers on our panel. A Letter of Authority lets us request your contract end date and usage history, but it never lets us sign a contract without your consent.
Compare quotes by annual cost, not unit rate alone. On our comparison table, the same 10,000 kWh profile ranged from £2,828.67 to £3,232.28 a year across eight fixed plans (indicative, excluding VAT, last updated 11 August 2026). Our guide to 8 questions to ask before you sign is worth ten minutes.
Stage 2: Contract, credit check and paperwork (days 2 to 7)
Here is the part people miss: business energy contracts are binding even when agreed by phone, and most suppliers offer no cooling-off period. Ofgem considered a 14-day cooling-off period for microbusinesses but decided against it. Ask for the written terms and read them before you agree.
Your new supplier may also run a credit check and ask for a deposit. Settle that early, because it can hold up everything after it.
Stage 3: The objection window (about two working days)
Your new supplier tells your current one through the central switching service. Under the faster switching rules, your current supplier has about two working days to object to a business switch. Objections usually follow unpaid debt, a missed notice period or admin errors.
If one is raised, you resolve it with your current supplier and the switch restarts. Octopus Energy says its restart takes three days once the objection is cleared. If a switch was started by mistake, the annulment process lets your current supplier cancel it quickly, provided you contact them within the annulment window.
Stage 4: Switch day (same power, new supplier)
Nothing changes physically. You keep the same cables, the same meter and the same power. Only the name on your bill, your contract and your customer service contact change.
Take a meter reading on the day. Citizens Advice advises sending it to both companies, EDF passes your opening reading to your old supplier for the final invoice, and British Gas Business asks for it within five days of your supply starting. A dated photo of the meter is useful proof. If you qualify for the reduced 5% VAT rate, send your VAT certificate to the new supplier so the first bill is correct.
Stage 5: Final bill, credits and your first new bill
Your old supplier uses your reading to close the account and sends a final bill, with any credit refunded. Your new supplier’s first invoice follows your billing cycle, so check the unit rate, standing charge and VAT against your quote line by line. If something looks wrong, raise it with the supplier first.
Three realistic examples
It is noted that these are illustrative scenarios, not customer case studies.
A Leeds bakery with a fixed deal ending in spring. The owner compares six months ahead and signs in early November. Nothing changes until the contract end date of 31 March, when the new rate starts. The owner diarises the opening meter reading and avoids a rollover price entirely.
A Manchester café on out-of-contract rates. It uses 12,000 kWh a year. At 42p per kWh out of contract versus 29p on a new fixed deal, the gap is 13p x 12,000 = £1,560 a year, or £130 a month, before standing charge and VAT. The owner gets quotes on Monday, signs on Thursday, passes the credit check the following Tuesday and goes live about three weeks after signing. Every week of dithering cost roughly £30.
A Birmingham dental practice taking over a unit. From day one it is on deemed rates, so it sends a change of tenancy form with its lease. The first application is rejected because the trading name differs from the registered company name. Fixing it costs about a week, and the switch completes in roughly four weeks.
Based in one of these cities? We also have local guides for Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham.
What can slow your switch down
What goes wrong | Why it happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
Unpaid balance | Your current supplier can object | Pay or formally dispute it before you sign |
Missed notice | Evergreen and larger-business contracts may need it | Check the notice window early |
Wrong details | A mismatched name, address or MPAN is rejected | Copy details from a recent bill |
Linked meters | Related meters often must move on the same date | Switch them together |
New or upgraded meter | Engineers and a new meter point registration take time | Book installation first |
Multi-site or large load | Bespoke tariffs and tendering | Allow well over 30 days |
A new meter installation can add anything from a few weeks to a couple of months, and larger multi-site businesses often take longer than smaller ones. As a rule of thumb, if a transfer drags beyond six weeks, ask your supplier for an official update.
Do different business electricity suppliers change the timeline?
The legal process is the same whoever you choose, but each supplier handles the practical steps slightly differently. British Gas Business, for example, asks for an opening reading within five days of supply starting, and the final bill comes from your old supplier once the switch completes. If you are weighing up Octopus electricity, the company quotes around three days from sign-up, or a start date you choose.
At SwitchUrEnergy we compare a wide network of licensed UK suppliers, including British Gas and British Gas Lite, though not every supplier in the market. Whichever of the UK energy services providers you pick, the stages above stay the same.
Practical tips for a smooth switch
Put your contract end date in your diary 12 months ahead.
Compare at least three quotes by annual cost, not just unit rate.
Pay or query any outstanding bill before you sign.
Match your company name, address and MPAN exactly to your bill.
Photograph your meter on switch day and send the reading promptly.
Switch every linked meter on the same date.
Never agree on the phone under pressure. Ask for the terms in writing.
Check your first bill line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are answers to the questions we hear most often.
Will my electricity be cut off when I switch?
No. Your power arrives through the same cables and meter. Only your supplier, contract and billing change.
Can I switch business electricity suppliers before my contract ends?
Usually only by paying an exit fee, because most fixed deals are binding. Check when you could leave without a fee and how much you would save by switching. If you are out of contract or on deemed rates, you can normally switch straight away.
Is there a cooling-off period?
Rarely. Most suppliers do not offer one, and a verbal agreement can bind you. Always read the terms first.
How fast can a microbusiness switch?
As little as five working days under Ofgem’s faster switching rules, once you are out of contract.
What if my current supplier objects?
They must tell you why. Common reasons are unpaid bills or a missed notice. Resolve the issue with them, then the switch restarts.
Do I need to tell my old supplier I am leaving?
Your new supplier notifies them as part of the switch. If your contract needs a termination notice, such as an evergreen deal, you must send it, or ask us to handle it.
Is it free to compare with SwitchUrEnergy?
Yes. Our comparison is free to you, and we earn from supplier partners when you switch. We show the contract term and any exit fees before you commit.
Final Words
Switching business electricity suppliers is a short process wrapped around a few fixed dates. The quote takes minutes and the switch itself can take days. Your contract end date, any notice rules and how tidy your paperwork is set the real timeline.
The businesses that do this well share one habit: they start early. Check your end date this week, gather your MPAN and usage, compare at least three quotes by annual cost, and let the new contract begin the day the old one ends. Do that, and the only thing you will notice on switch day is a new name on your bill.
Ready to see what you could save? Get your free quote in a few minutes, or call (0203) 9500885, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.