Guide / Implement
From approval to the first 100 days: make the energy contract work
An approved deal still needs careful implementation. Use a meter-by-meter handover, documented acceptance and early bill checks to turn the buying decision into a functioning supply arrangement.
Control acceptance before the price expires
Prepare the approval process before live pricing. Agree which officer may accept, the financial and risk limits of that authority, and what happens if a quote changes. At acceptance, preserve the final offer, complete terms, meter schedule, charges, fees and evidence of the approval. A later sales summary is not a substitute for the agreement actually accepted.
Ofgem warns that business energy agreements do not carry a cooling-off period after acceptance, including telephone agreements. Treat any requested acceptance as consequential and follow a written-only school procedure. A quotation-only letter of authority should not let the broker sign or switch supply for the school. Check separate TPI commitments as well as the energy agreement.
Build the handover around actual contract dates
The timetable below is our suggested control structure, not a guaranteed switching period or a statement of universal cancellation rights. Supplier terms, registration conditions and customer protections vary. Confirm the applicable provisions for the actual buyer and contract.
| Point | Action | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Before acceptance | Confirm authority, procurement records, conditions and final rates. | Approval, accepted quote, agreement and fee schedule. |
| Before the notice deadline | Serve any required incumbent and adviser notices through the specified channel. | Dated notice and acknowledgements; unresolved questions escalated. |
| Before registration | Reconcile all supply points and billing details with the incoming supplier. | Agreed meter list, expected start dates and exception owner. |
| At transfer | Record available opening and closing readings and relevant meter evidence. | Dated readings, photographs where appropriate and supplier confirmations. |
| First 30 days | Check registration, portal access, payment setup and incoming invoices. | Meter-level status and first-bill exception log. |
| By day 100 | Review every site, unresolved case, rate application and service commitment. | Signed review with actions, deadlines and the next renewal calendar. |
Check the contracts behind the meter
Do not assume that changing supplier ends every metering or data-service agreement. Record any independently contracted meter operator, gas meter asset manager or data provider, together with term, charges, termination arrangements and compatibility with the new supplier. SSE's published guidance confirms that some metering agreements can sit separately from supply contracts; arrangements and industry roles can differ.
Ask the incoming supplier and TPI to confirm who appoints and pays each relevant service, whether existing appointments continue, and whether any duplicate charge or interruption of data access could arise. Plan physical meter work with the site team and appropriate specialists. A supply transfer alone is not proof that an agent contract has ended.
Resolve objections and gaps promptly
Ofgem explains that an existing supplier may object to a transfer, for example where money is owed. If an objection appears, obtain its reason and the contractual basis, identify the disputed or undisputed amount and agree who will resolve it. Record communications and the revised plan. Do not promise an automatic right to leave a fixed agreement early.
Escalate missing registrations, mismatched identifiers and sites left outside the accepted schedule. Confirm what rates and arrangements apply during any gap. Avoid treating a reassuring statement that the switch is being handled as evidence that each meter has actually transferred.
Validate bills and retain a transferable record
Check the first invoices against the accepted agreement: correct site, meter, dates, readings, tariff bands, unit and standing charges, other components, fees and assessed tax treatment. Look for overlapping final and opening periods, estimated reads, duplicate payments and unexpected balances. Keep suspected errors separate from verified credits; a claim becomes a recovery only when the amount is confirmed and reconciled.
At the 100-day review, report sites successfully transferred, bills checked, unresolved exceptions and the service response received. Assign an owner and next action for every open case. Retain supplier terms, prices, approvals, notices, meter information and case records in a school-controlled location. The next renewal should already have an owner and a reminder linked to the actual notice provisions.