Does Your Business Need to Switch Water Supplier in Scotland?

If you own or run a business, charity or not-for-profit organisation in Scotland, then there’s good news as, as of April 1 2008, Scotland became the first country to offer non-household consumers the opportunity to switch water suppliers.

Unlike in England, business owners in Scotland can choose their water, waste services and drainage services supplier, with no limits on eligibility, beyond being non-household users. The introduction of different water companies has turned the water industry in Scotland into a competitive market, which, as with any free market, directly equates to a better market for the consumer, with services that are tailored to your needs and lower, more competitive prices and rates.

This means that switching your water provider could result in huge discounts on your water bill that could be up to, on average, between 10-18%: a sum that is not to be sniffed at when we are talking about hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds!

These discounted rates comes as a result of a lot of water providers in Scotland now making lower costs for their customers a priority. As well as more competitive prices, more attention is being paid to ensuring that water is being used efficiently, with less water wasted, resulting in a range of new services focusing on this end being brought into effect.

With a new focus on limiting the amount of water that is wasted, thus reducing costs, this automatically translates to a better service at a discounted rate for customers. The exact amount you can save will be down to your individual usage and bill, but it is likely that, by switching you water supplier in Scotland, you will be able to make sizeable savings on your water bill.

The actual process of switching companies can be quick and easy, usually taking around a month or less to do, if you seek professional help and advice from a water expert. This is, also, often a completely free service; if there is a fee incurred, it’s usually small.

All you as the customer have to do is provide your water consultant that is helping you to switch water suppliers with your water bills from the past year. From these, the information on your usage, costs and fees will be collated in a database. Water suppliers will then have the fundamental information passed on to them and they can then bid for the contract, a process which ensures you get the best service for you at the lowest rates. The company working on your behalf can then negotiate further with them to get the best deal, before passing the information back to you, the customer.
Once you have made your choice, the company can then work with you to help move your business from one company to another, as quickly and smoothly as possible, for a pain free service.

In light of this new, competitive drive to the market, more attention is being paid to the individual customer’s needs, with experts working at companies to advise on the service available for you and your business, which in turn will equate to a better experience and relationship with your water suppliers. This could mean anything from discounts on services to a greater emergency support, depending on the company you decide to go for.

So, as a result of switching water suppliers, you will be able to enjoy products and services tailored directly to you and your business’ needs and water usage. As well as this, the new focus on efficient usage of water can help you and your company reduce the amount of water wastage, which can lead to yet more savings. If you want to make sure you’re getting the most for your money and your water provider, then it’s a service to look into. So, if your company is based in Scotland, why not give us a call here at H2O Building Services and see how we can help you switch water supplier and reduce your water costs? Simply call on 0845 658 0948 or visit our website: www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/switch-water-supplier

How to Identify a Water Leak

We can all take for granted how much we rely on our water supply, both at home and at work. Whether we use it for showering or doing our laundry at home or making a round of coffee or washing our hands in the toilets at work, without it we would not only feel incredibly inconvenienced but we’d be thirsty, hungry and a little dirty too!

But if you have a water leak you or your company will be paying for more than you actually use so it’s essential to keep on top of the maintenance of your pipework and appliances. If you suspect your water bill is too high it might be because you have a water leak or overflow.

Here are our top tips for identifying a water leak.

• Underground leaks can go unnoticed for longer as it’s harder to detect them. The signs of an underground leak include soggy areas of ground, particularly in your garden, pools of water, sink holes or flourishing spots of grass or vegetation during dry summer spells.

• To check if you have a water leak indoors then make sure all your appliances which use water are switched off but leave the internal stop tap open. Take a meter reading before leaving everything switched off for a period of time – overnight is the best time when household activity is minimal. If there’s a significant change in activity overnight then it’s likely you have a leak. Check all your appliances and internal pipe joints for cracks or damage, such as your shower head and pipe connection and the pipes under your sink.

• Check your water meter – the majority of water meters are usually fitted outside near your home’s water stop valve. You will need to look for a small plastic or metal cover, usually located by the roadside, in your garden or on a nearby footpath. You will only need to read the black numbers on the screen and submit them to your supplier, either over the phone or online. They will be able to measure your water usage and gage whether it has increased uncharacteristically.

• One of the main hotspots for a leak will be your bathrooms so switch off the supply to each toilet individually and see if the red meter reading numbers continue to rise.

• Check your outside taps – hose-bibs are the pipes you attach your garden hoses to and most homes have at least one in the back garden. Listen carefully for any hissing or dripping noises to see if the pipe is leaking.

It's not always as easy to detect a water leak in a professional environment, especially if your business's offices are located in office buildings. If you suspect there is a water leak, then it's best to seek professional help and advice. For more information on water leak detection, please visit our website - http://www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-leak-detection/.