Business water: choose your retailer, check your charges.
Businesses in England have been able to choose who bills them for water since 2017, and in Scotland since 2008. Your pipes and supply stay exactly the same.
- Where
- England and Scotland
- What changes
- Your retailer and your bill
- What stays the same
- Your pipes, supply and water company
- Often found
- Surface water drainage rebates
What we check on your water bills
Your retailer’s price
The retail part of your bill is what changes when you switch. We compare it across retailers.
Surface water drainage
If rainwater from your site doesn’t drain into the public sewer, you may be able to claim a rebate.
Meter reads and usage
Estimated reads, a meter that doesn’t match your site, or usage that suggests a leak.
Sewerage and trade effluent
Charges for what goes down the drain, checked against what your business actually discharges.
Empty or closed sites
Premises you no longer use can often have charges reduced or stopped.
Several sites, one bill
Retailers can put all your sites on a single account and invoice.
Questions people ask us
Will my water supply change if I switch retailer?
No. Your regional water company still owns the pipes and supplies the water. Only the company that bills you and handles your account changes.
Can my business switch in Wales?
Usually not. In Wales, only sites using more than 50 million litres a year can choose their retailer. We can still check your bills for errors.
What is a surface water drainage rebate?
Most bills include a charge for rainwater running off your roof and car park into the public sewer. If it soaks away or drains somewhere else, you may not owe that charge, and some businesses can claim back past payments.
Do I need a water meter?
Most businesses already have one. If you don’t, your bills may be based on an assessed charge, and a meter can sometimes work out cheaper. We’ll tell you if it’s worth asking for.
Send us a bill. We’ll show you what’s in it.
A free review takes about 20 minutes. We check what you’re paying, tell you when your contract really ends, and show you any quotes with our fee on them. No obligation to switch.