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Given the current situation, we’ve had a lot of questions from our customers and colleagues about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and what we are doing during this time.
We’ve put together some of our frequently asked questions to help anyone who may be feeling uncertain about their business energy and our service at this time.
Is there any impact to our service?
We appreciate that this is an anxious time for all, so we want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to minimise disruption to our services while guaranteeing the safety of our customers and staff.
Our team has successfully moved to working from home. Your business will continue to receive your energy/water supply from us, and we are still business as usual for all customer queries, billing and business energy renewals at this time. We are not currently processing any new meter installations (see below for further guidance)
I’m concerned about my business and not being able to make my payments – what should I do?
We understand that this is a big concern for some of our customers. If you have any concerns around this, please contact our team as soon as possible on 0115 975 8258, and they will be more than happy to discuss your options.
My business is being affected by the current situation; what should I do to ensure I don’t get billed more than I should?
Regular meter readings are essential to ensure you only pay for the energy you use. Your business consumption may vary with more employees working from home and changes in your customer behavior. Please ensure you send us regular meter reads each month so we can provide accurate bills for your business. You can submit your meter read online here.
Should I still pay in the usual way for my business energy?
If you make your payments via Direct Debit (DD), then please make sure that you have your DD arrangements in place to ensure timely payment of your business energy bills in line with your payment terms. If your DD is cancelled or your payment fails, this will result in late payment charges. See our business terms and conditions for more information.
If you make payments via BACS, please ensure you have arrangements in place, so we receive payment of your business energy bills in line with your payment terms. Please remember that if we don’t receive your payment on time, it will result in late payment charges as per our business terms and conditions
I am about to switch over my supply to Yü Energy, will this still go ahead?
If your energy supply is due to switch over to us shortly then this should go ahead as normal, as long as there are no objections from your current supplier. We will advise you if anything changes.
My business has been ordered to close due to COVID-19, how does this affect my water supply?
Businesses that have been ordered to close due to the restrictions are entitled to be marked as temporarily vacant. This is also the case for those that have seen a 95% reduction in ‘normal activities’. Therefore customers will not receive estimated bills during this period, but may face later charges if subsequent meter reads show usage. Please contact our customer care team if your business is in this situation.
I’m concerned about the payment of my business water bill
As a water retailer, Yü Energy complies with the Customer Protection Code of Practice. Ofwat has made changes to the Customer Protection Code of Practice which came into effect on 8th April. The changes require that from 8th April until 31st May, retailers should not be:
(a) serving disconnection notices for the non-payment of bills or invoices;
(b) seeking to recover any default interest or impose late payment charges for the non-payment of invoices issued from 1st March 2020; and
(c) seeking to enforce the non-payment of invoices
The above measures (a) to (c) are for a limited period. Where customers are able to pay their bills on time, then you should continue to do so as normal.
If you have any concerns about payment of your business water bill, please contact our Customer Care team as soon as possible.
My smart meter is due for installation in the next couple of months – will this still go ahead?
We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily halt any non-essential appointments.
We are taking our commitment to social distancing seriously, so we will be pausing all smart meter installations at this time, only dealing with emergency call outs until the Government advises it is safe to resume this service.
If you already have a Business Smart Meter installation scheduled, we will be in touch with you.
If you have registered your interest in a smart meter with us, we will contact you as soon as normal service resumes and we are able to offer installation appointments again.
This also applies to any other metering appointments deemed as non-essential for half hourly or non-half hourly electricity meters or gas meters.
I am an Energy Broker; will I still be able to quote businesses for their energy from Yü?
Yes, you can request quotes from us as normal. We have recently launched our Energy Broker portal, allowing our TPI partners to manage the end-to-end process of quoting and submitting their SME clients’ contracts. For more information on our Energy Broker portal or to gain access, visit our website . Our Broker team are working from home and they are contactable in the usual way.
What if my business energy renewal is due, but I am out of the office so not picking up emails – will I still be charged out of contract rates?
We know things can be tricky right now but please try to ensure that you have arrangements in place to respond to emails from us. If you are unable to do this, please contact our Customer Care team as soon as possible.
Can my business energy account be put on hold if my business is closed during the pandemic and no energy is being used?
Even if your business is closed, it is likely that you will still be consuming some energy, even if it is a reduced amount. You are also likely to be paying a fixed standing charge, which means we are not able to put your account on hold. If you do have particular concerns please contact our Customer Care team as soon as possible.
Can I get a payment holiday for my energy account?
We understand that the ability to pay is a big concern for some of our customers. If you have any concerns around your ability to pay, please contact our Customer Care team as soon as possible on 0115 975 8258, and they will be more than happy to discuss your options.
What help is available for businesses during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?
The Government has set out a package of financial support measures to support businesses during this period of disruption.
For more information, we have published a handy guide summarising the key support available.
We’ve also partnered with business finance experts, Optimum Commercial, to offer friendly, straightforward support to identify the best financial options for your business. For more information visit our Financial Support page.
You can also find out what support your Business Representative Organisation or Trade Association offers and there are a host of public bodies, organisations and charities that have produced additional resources that may be useful. Business Debtline is also a great place to access helpful fact sheets for advice and help during this time.
Is there any impact on your New Connections (meter installations)?
We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily halt any non-essential appointments.
We are taking our commitment to social distancing seriously, so we will be pausing all new meter installations at this time, only dealing with emergency call outs until the Government advises it is safe to resume this service.
If you already have an ongoing project with your business and we have already registered a contract, we will be in touch with you.
If you have registered your interest with us, we will contact you as soon as normal service resumes and we are able to offer installation appointments again.
If you do need to discuss your project with us, then please contact our New Connections team on 0115 975 8258 or email newconnections@yuenergy.co.uk
What are Yü Energy doing to reduce the risk and ensure social distancing and self-isolation is observed?
Our staff will continue to work business as usual, but our entire team has moved to working from home. We will still be available via phone, email and live chat for any queries you may have.
Meetings: All external meetings have been moved to video conferencing.
Thank you in advance for your co-operation during these current exceptional times. We will continue working hard to ensure a smooth delivery of your business energy supply and we’ll keep you informed during the current situation of any further developments.