Change of tenancy: business energy when you move premises

What is a change of tenancy?

A change of tenancy, sometimes called a change of occupier, is how an energy supplier finds out that a new business has taken over premises. If the supplier accepts the change, it closes the old account and opens a new one for the business moving in.

Ofgem says both businesses should tell the supplier: the one moving in and the one moving out. It applies whether you rent or buy: Ofgem lists tenancy or lease agreements, property sale documents and title deeds as evidence.

What happens to your energy when you move in?

If there was a previous occupier, Citizens Advice says its supplier will carry on supplying the premises. If you use energy without agreeing a contract, you're automatically put on a deemed contract with that supplier. The law treats you, as the occupier taking the supply, as having a contract with the supplier, even though you haven't signed anything.

Ofgem says deemed rates are usually higher than negotiated contract rates, and you're responsible for any energy you use before your new contract starts. So the sooner you agree a contract, the sooner you're off deemed rates.

What to do before you move in

Citizens Advice suggests trying to have an energy contract arranged before you move in. To do that, you need to know who supplies the premises now.

• Electricity: use the Energy Networks Association's postcode tool to find the network operator, which should be able to tell you who the supplier is.
• Gas: search the postcode on the Find My Supplier website, which shows the supplier and the supply number (MPRN).
• Water: in England, once you've moved in, any water retailer can tell you which retailer is registered for the premises.

Ask the landlord or the outgoing occupier for a recent bill too. It should show the supplier and the supply numbers.

Once you know who supplies the premises, you can compare business energy prices before you agree a contract.

What to do on your first day

1. Take meter readings. Photograph each meter with its reading on the day you move in, and note the date. Citizens Advice suggests doing this on your first day.
2. Tell the current supplier. Contact the supplier as soon as you can, even if you're already talking to other suppliers about a contract. Include your meter readings.
3. Send evidence when asked. The supplier may ask for proof of when you took over, such as your lease or tenancy agreement, property sale documents or title deeds. If that isn't enough, Ofgem says the supplier may ask for more, such as mortgage documents, business rates bills, or letters from a bank, solicitor or landlord.

Ofgem says the supplier will review your documents within 10 working days, and then either close the old account and open a new one for you, reject the change and give you a reason, or ask for more information.

If you disagree with the supplier's decision, use its complaints process. If that doesn't settle it, you may be able to take your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

Can you switch supplier straight away?

Yes. A deemed contract can't have a fixed term or an exit fee, and it can't require you to give notice before you change supplier. So you can move onto a contract with the current supplier, or switch to a new one, whenever you're ready.

If you're switching, Ofgem says to tell both the current and the new supplier about the change of occupier. The new supplier then starts the switch. The current supplier accepts it if it agrees a change of occupier has happened, or rejects it and gives a reason if it doesn't, which is another reason to send your evidence early.

If your supply qualifies for a lower rate of VAT, send your supplier a VAT declaration for the new premises: HMRC needs a separate declaration for each premises.

Are you responsible for the previous tenant's energy bills?

Not for energy used before you took over. Ofgem says you're responsible for any energy you use at your new premises before your new contract starts. That's why your first-day readings and your evidence of the date you took over matter: they let the supplier close the previous account at the right point and start yours from there.

If the previous occupier left an unpaid balance, the supplier may ask you for more documents to confirm the change of tenancy. EDF, for example, says it may ask for extra documents in that case. Ofgem said in June 2026 that, under the current licence, a supplier can't object to a deemed customer's switch because of debt. Otherwise, a supplier can object only under a term of your contract.

If the previous tenant was disconnected, or the premises are new, you might have to pay a connection fee.

Do you need your landlord's permission?

It depends on whose name the energy account is in.

• If the account is in your business's name, you're the supplier's customer, so you can agree a contract or switch. Check your lease too, in case it says anything about the energy supply.
• If your landlord has the contract with the supplier and recharges you, for example through a service charge, the supply contract is your landlord's, not yours. Ofgem says people who are resold energy often can't switch, so talk to your landlord. As of Ofgem's October 2025 review, its limit on what landlords can charge for reselling energy applies only when the end use is domestic, so it doesn't cover business tenants. Check how your lease sets the recharge.

Change of tenancy forms by supplier

Each supplier has its own change of tenancy process, often an online form. These are the ones we've checked:

You can see the deemed rates each supplier publishes on our deemed rates by supplier pages.

What to do when you move out

1. Tell your supplier your leaving date as soon as you can, and give a forwarding address for your final bill.
2. Take final readings. Photograph each meter on your last day and note the date, even if you have smart meters.
3. Have your documents ready. Suppliers may ask for proof that you've left, such as a surrender of lease, and for the details of your landlord or the new occupier.
4. Check your contract. If you're partway through a fixed contract, read what it says about moving premises and any exit fees before you give notice on your lease.

Citizens Advice warns that if you don't tell your supplier you're leaving, you might be charged for energy the next occupier uses.

Business water when you move premises

Water works differently, because you choose a retailer that handles your bills, while your local water company (Scottish Water in Scotland) still supplies the water and runs the pipes.

• In England, most businesses have been able to choose their water retailer since 1 April 2017. If you've moved and don't know who the retailer is, any retailer can tell you which one is registered for your premises.
• In Scotland, businesses have been able to choose their retailer since 1 April 2008. If you've moved in without choosing a retailer, a deemed contract may apply, with a retailer allocated to you. Scottish Water may also write asking you to choose, and if you don't reply within 15 working days, a deemed contract may apply. You can switch or agree a contract at any time.

Extra protections for microbusinesses

Your business is a microbusiness if it has fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than £2 million, or if it uses up to 100,000 kWh of electricity or up to 293,000 kWh of gas a year. Microbusinesses get extra protections, including:

• clear information about your contract, and about renewal prices before it ends;
• a limit on back-billing: if you weren't billed correctly at the time, you don't have to pay for energy used more than 12 months ago, unless you've acted unreasonably.

Since December 2024, small businesses, as well as microbusinesses, can take unresolved complaints to the Energy Ombudsman, once eight weeks have passed or the supplier has sent a deadlock letter.