BES Utilities review: Electricity meter contract 6

At the end of September I started receiving telephone calls in regards to our electricity provider, stating that I was unregistered in the new premises I was about to open on September 28th for my functional training gym. I had already had a bill from British Gas so I ignored these and continued as is. Over a 2 week period the calls increased dramatically, one person insisted I hand over my direct debit details which I said I did not have, but continued to try and make me find them and told me if I didn’t sign up ASAP I would be put on a high rate contract, I said that he was trying to bully me in to a contract and that I wouldn’t want to sign up with someone like this.

Being a new business I was consumed by a large workload, the calls continued, and I continued to hang up, eventually they started calling me back directly after me hanging up telling me I had to listen to them as we were unregistered and they were doing this as protocol, and I wouldn’t stop getting calls until I registered my meter and that at present I would be paying emergency rates, which were high (having already had a near £3000 electricity bill from British Gas for the premises it didn’t take much to make me believe them). It was at this point I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt as they sold their story well and came across as if they knew our business and were working in our best interests.

I was told our unit price would be 17.5p and compared to what we are paying now would be a dramatic decrease (something like 70p less), and that we would have to spend a minimum of £40 a month which I queried as knew I wouldn’t spend that much only using the lights or boiling a kettle on occasion. I was then told that wouldn’t matter they can sort something out that would best suit us. Wanting to get back to the important parts of my business, and believing through my naivety to business practise they were working in my best interests as they implied, I agreed that it was for the best for me and gave them my direct debit details. I was not told and did not know there would be no cooling off period after the contract was sent through to me to read and that it was legally binding. They realed off so many terms and conditions to take in and implied I would be able to go over these later, which now after recieving in writing I would never have been able to take on board during a phone conversation. On doing so I have discovered I am locked in for 5 years, on a premises I have 3 years lease on, if I don’t hit £40 a month the unit increase for electricity will go from 17.5p to 75p plus VAT per unit and since researched this company online to discover many horror stories of businesses closing due to BES Utilities ignoring electricity consumption per month and charging people close £600+ a month.

I asked to terminate the contract and was told it would cost £3479 a figure that doesn’t appear to be based on what they say a termination fee should be (the number of unexpired months multiplied by 1/3 of the average monthly invoice amount - net of VAT and CCL, plus admin fee of £100, plus any disconnection and admin costs occurred if appropriate, then if a meter is fitted its a minimum of £200 plus additional fees), this figure does not even add up if they anticipate I will spend £40 a month. They are insisting on installing a smart meter that I will be charged to be removed at anything over £200 if we terminate the contract or leave the premises too.

I am now in a situation where as a new business owner I fear for its future before its even started. I’m locked in to something that I would never rationally agree on for 5 years of my life which is insane. I feel that they have misrepresented a sale to me, at a time that im most vunerable and used my business innocence as something they gain from. I feel violated, abused and stupid all in one through unrational thinking during a time in my life when I’m too busy to sit down to take anything in. Had I known there would be no cooling off period as there is with domestic energy providers I would never have agreed. I find this disgusting that it can happen in this day and age.