Recognised as a UK market leader, we deliver a comprehensive range of cost cutting services totally independently of the utility industry's suppliers – using our national purchasing power and impartiality to secure the most competitive utilities deals.

Utility Auditing also employs authorised consultants for the government’s Carbon Trust energy efficiency programme – providing free energy surveys and access to funding.

We have expanded our energy management services to include bulk fuels and fuel cards, energy efficient products and communications services

Our focus is to help all companies, large and small, save money on their utility costs – providing cheaper electricity, gas, water, fuel and telecommunications. We endeavour to do this by approaching the subject in two ways:

• First, by analysing the existing bills (preferably the last 12 months) to identify existing contractual obligations, current prices, recurring standing charges, potential overcharging or billing anomalies.
  
  
• Second, by evaluating a company's needs we are looking to reduce consumption through analysing where the waste is occurring and promoting industry best practice, good housekeeping, training and development and a range of proven energy saving measures.

We work in partnership with property companies and their managing agents, many trade associations including the Engineering Employers Federation, Registered Nursing Homes Association, more than 90? per cent of England’s accredited Chambers of Commerce, and many others.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why should we use an energy broker?
Gas and electricity are traded like any other commodity and energy markets have become increasingly volatile. The high degree of risk now associated with gas and electricity pricing means that more businesses are seeking professional advice from energy management companies like Utility Auditing (UAL), which monitors the markets constantly and can buy at the right time and price.

Why can you negotiate cheaper energy prices than us buying direct?
We tender on behalf of clients every day of the week, placing over £175 million worth of gas and electricity supply contracts each year. As a result, the suppliers will offer us more competitive terms than companies who only tender once a year. Effectively, you are benefiting from our group purchasing power.

How do you earn your fees?
UAL generates its income in four ways: share of savings, fees, administration charges and introductory commission. Where we are charging a share of savings, it always relates to performance being evidenced and is fully declared and agreed with you before any work commences.

Do we sign an energy procurement contract with you?
No, we feel that the level of service and expertise we provide for clients is sufficient reason for them to remain with us. At no time are you under any obligation whatsoever. We will advise you of our research and discuss the best option for your company and illustrate the savings we can achieve for you.

What happens at the end of our contract?
Our service includes regular reviews of our clients' contracts to ensure they remain extremely competitive. We will tender to suppliers at the end of the contract term to secure the best deal for you once again.

What’s happening in the energy market?
There have been dramatic price rises in excess of 100% over the past two years and the market remains highly volatile. Given market trends of 2004/2006 there is every likelihood that the major spring and autumn contract renewal rounds will drive further speculative forward buying - leading to upward price swings.

There is every indication that the market will remain volatile and continue to harden through 2007. With the added pressure of record oil prices, our advice would be to consider a longer contract to protect against further upward swings in the market.

What help is available to make my business more energy efficient?
UAL is an authorised consultant to the government’s Carbon Trust and can offer a host of help and advice to ensure organisations stem energy waste and boost efficiency. If your business spends in excess of £50,000 per year on energy, we can offer free on-site Carbon Trust energy surveys.

The survey begins with a visit to a company’s premises by a qualified UAL energy auditor, who will carry out a comprehensive “walk through” of the site in order to pinpoint unnecessary, poorly controlled, inefficient or inappropriate energy use. Energy usage is also benchmarked against consumption figures by similar businesses.

The next stage is to present fully costed solutions for improving efficiency, including many simple measures which require no capital outlay. Project management and training can then be provided, if necessary, to help businesses implement the energy saving recommendations.

Through its parent group, ENER-G plc, UAL can provide Building Energy Management and Combined Heat and Power solutions to make a hard hitting contribution to energy efficiency programmes.

Is there any financial help available to tackle energy wastage?
UAL can help businesses to gain access to interest free Carbon Trust loans of up to £100,000 and claim Enhanced Capital Allowances to help implement energy efficiency measures.

How do I find out if my company qualifies for a free energy survey?
All companies whose annual energy bill is over £50,000 could qualify for Free Energy Survey through the Carbon Trust. If your organisation has more than one site then you must have an energy spend of over £50,000 on at least one of those sites.

What is The Carbon Trust?
The Carbon Trust is an independent organisation that helps both public and private sector organisations to cut carbon emissions, and supports the development of low carbon technologies.

Who funds The Carbon Trust?
The Carbon Trust is funded by the Government.

How do I find out whether my company qualifies for an Energy Efficiency Loan?
The Energy Efficiency Loan is available to SME’s in most sectors of the economy. Only the Transport, Agricultural and Fisheries sectors are specifically disqualified.

To apply for an Energy Efficiency Loan companies must first have an independent report that identifies the technical elements and the energy saving potential of the project.

This report is then sent to The Carbon Trust with the application forms for approval.

How to do I apply for An Energy Efficiency Loan?
UAL can help you with your report and application. Our approved consultants are well experienced in all stages from reporting to loan approval.

What can Smart Meters do for my business?
New Smart Metering technology offers a low cost solution to gathering accurate management information on electricity consumption – helping you with forecasting, budgeting, bill payment and the identification of waste. Smart Meters will give you access to consumption readings taken every 30 minutes, 24/7. This information is downloaded via mobile technology to provide actual consumption information for the supplier to accurately invoice against. The data can also be accessed in user friendly graphical and tabular formats by you and your financial managers to show half hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual patterns of usage.

What help can you give me in sorting out new utilities for my new office and warehouse?
Whether you need to commission a new supply or downgrade your existing supply, Utility Auditing’s project team can help. With new connections we can take care of a all negotiation, supply sourcing, on-site contract work and health & safety issues, providing you with a one-stop solution. of all negotiation, supply sourcing, on-site contract work and health and safety issues,

We think we may have been overcharged for our water. What can we do about it?
We can check this out for you by examining your previous water bills. This will give us an early indication as to whether there are any anomalies, which we can check our further. Instances of overcharging are more frequent than you may think and it is possible to recover any overcharges dating back over a six year period. We can also advise on other methods of cost cutting, such as total water management and leak detection, as well as ensuring that you have the correct meter size.

How do I get a more competitive telecoms package, without business disruption?
UAL’s partnership with a Tier One national telecommunications supplier means that we can offer customers significant cost benefits combined with quality and customer service assurances. We can reduce the cost of calls and line rentals without changing your hardware or telephone number – providing you with the same service at a lower price.

While there are significant direct savings available, many businesses are more interested in the indirect cost savings and flexibility that can be achieved through added value services, such as: automated Telephone Preference Service (TPS) call-barring, Fax 2 Email, number translation and call tracking services.