The ultimate year-end checklist for business water contract renewal

Start by reviewing your current contract

Start by checking the end date on your contract and make a note of the notice period. It’s an easy detail to overlook, but missing it can lead to automatic renewals that leave your business tied into prices that may no longer be competitive.

Next, take a moment to review the section about how your contract renews. Many suppliers include automatic renewal clauses, and businesses often only realise this when it’s too late to make a change that could have saved them money.

Finally, look out for any early exit fees. Understanding these in advance gives you a clearer picture of your options, especially if switching to another supplier could offer better value for your business.

Look over your water usage for the past year

Start by taking a look at your water usage from the past twelve months. This doesn’t need to be complicated; just look back over your recent bills. Having this full picture helps you understand how much water your business actually uses, which makes it much easier to compare renewal quotes properly.

As you’re going through your bills, check whether any months are based on estimated readings rather than real ones. Estimated readings are essentially guesses, and they can be way off. This can make your costs look higher or lower than they really are, so it’s important to spot them early.

Finally, keep an eye out for any months where your usage suddenly jumps up or drops down. Big changes like this can be a sign of a leak, a piece of equipment not working properly, or changes in how your business operates. 

Check your meter information

Next, take a quick look at your water meter and check that the serial number on the meter matches the one on your bill. It only takes a moment, but it’s really important; if the numbers don’t match, you might have been billed for the wrong meter entirely, and that can lead to charges that aren’t yours.

While you’re there, jot down a fresh meter reading and compare it with the reading on your most recent bill. This is a simple way to make sure you’re being billed correctly and helps you spot any differences before they roll over into your next contract.

You should also check your SPID, which is your Supply Point Identification number. Just make sure it lines up with the correct site or business location. When your SPID details are accurate, it prevents mix-ups and makes renewing or switching your contract much smoother.

Review your charges carefully

Now, take a moment to look over your standing charges. These are the fixed fees you pay regardless of how much water you use. They’re easy to miss, but they can make up a big part of your overall bill, especially if the meter size you’ve been given isn’t actually the right one for your site.

Next, check your volumetric charges. These are the charges for the water your business actually uses. Comparing these costs with your usage helps you see whether your current tariff suits the way your business operates, or if something feels out of line.

Finally, have a look at your wastewater charges. This is the cost of sending used water back into the network. The way your business returns water — and how much — can make a noticeable difference to your bill, so it’s important to make sure these charges accurately reflect what’s really happening on your site.

Has anything changed in your business?

Take a moment to think about whether your business has grown or scaled back over the past year. Any change in activity, whether you’ve taken on more work or reduced operations, can influence the type of contract that will suit you best in the year ahead.

It also helps to consider whether you expect your water usage to increase or decrease. Having this in mind makes it easier to decide on the right contract length and ensures you’re not paying for more capacity than you actually need.

Then you can think about whether simpler billing would make things easier for you. If your business operates across multiple sites, a single consolidated bill can reduce admin time and help keep everything organised and clear.

Ask your current supplier for renewal options

Contact your supplier and request renewal quotes because you want to see the rates they are proposing for the upcoming year, as well as the contract lengths available.

Ask your supplier to explain how the renewal price has been calculated because understanding the reasoning behind the charges helps you compare it properly with alternative suppliers.

Request information about any incentives or improved terms because suppliers often provide additional options that can make staying with them more appealing.

Compare quotes from alternative suppliers

Look at quotes from other suppliers and compare the prices carefully because different providers structure their tariffs differently, and a small difference in standing charges or volumetric rates can have a noticeable impact across a year.

Pay attention to payment options, billing styles and customer service records because price alone does not always tell the full story of what you will experience throughout your contract.

Review whether each quote aligns with your actual consumption rather than estimated averages because a tailored tariff will always serve your business better in the long term.

Identify opportunities to reduce your costs

Consider whether a site survey or water efficiency audit could help you because many businesses discover small changes that significantly reduce water waste and operating expenses.

Think about whether smart metering or usage monitoring tools could make your management easier because real-time visibility often helps businesses spot issues long before they become expensive problems.

Review whether your business would benefit from improved leak detection because undetected leaks are one of the most common causes of unnecessary water spend.

Confirm your details before renewing

Make sure your SPIDs, meter details, site information and billing addresses are correct because accurate records prevent delays, incorrect charges and contract errors.

Update your contact details if your team has changed because the right person needs to receive renewal information and billing communications.

Check your trade effluent documentation if your business produces effluent, because compliance must be in order before your new contract begins.

Complete your renewal on time

Choose whether you want to stay with your current supplier or switch based on the evidence you have gathered, because both options can offer value depending on your circumstances.

Submit your renewal or switch confirmation before your notice period ends because this ensures that you avoid unwanted rollovers or unexpected charges in the new year.

Ask for written confirmation of your new agreement so that you can keep clear and accurate records for your business.

If you want help reviewing your contract, checking your usage, analysing quotes or exploring more competitive options, we are here to support you. Our role at The Business Water Shop is to make this process as simple and beneficial for your business as possible.

We work with suppliers across the United Kingdom, which allows us to secure competitive tariffs for businesses of all sizes. We frequently help customers achieve considerable savings on their water bills by identifying the best contract for their needs.

It only takes a few minutes to get your online quote – so if you’re thinking about moving to switch business water suppliers, there’s never been a better time to do it!