Smart meters are covered under UK and EU product safety legislation, which requires manufacturers to ensure that any product placed on the market is safe.
Public Health England provides advice and information on the health implications of smart meters, as it does for a range of technologies commonly found in homes and businesses across the UK. Further information about smart meters and health can be found on the Public Health England website.
We’re committed to keeping customer information secure so that all of your data is fully protected.
Your information is only accessed when necessary, by those who need to see it and to provide you with the services you have asked for. Further to this, all our staff members are trained on data protection and follow strict data protection guidelines.
Smart meters send meter readings to your energy supplier each month, your bills are therefore calculated using your actual meter readings instead of an estimate. We will sometimes email you to request a meter reading, even if you have a smart meter installed. This is to ensure the meter reading we receive can be checked to ensure they remain accurate so that you’re only billed to your actual usage.
Smart meter readings are the most up-to-date and accurate way to capture energy usage on a regular basis, without relying on time-consuming manual reads. We use this data to calculate your monthly energy bills so we can ensure you’re being charged based on your actual energy usage. Your data is secure with us – our team is trained in data protection, and we do not sell consumption data to third parties for any reason. Only you, or an individual nominated by you directly, will have access to this data through our online portal.
Unfortunately, an in-home display option isn’t provided for business energy customers.
Generally, it takes a minimum of 15 days. Once you've signed your energy supply agreement with SEFE Energy, and ended your supply agreement with your current supplier, we’ll ask you to complete a registration form to start the transfer process.
If you want to chat to us about timescales, call our friendly SEFE Energy Transfers team on 0161 814 9896.
If you’ve agreed your contract early with us, we can start the transfer process before your contract start date:
To make sure we have plenty of time to resolve any objections, we like to apply for transfers as early as possible.
The main thing you need to do is end your existing contract with your current energy supplier. We're happy to assist and provide guidance on this, but we're not able to take care of the entire process for you.
We’ll send your Welcome Pack when we’ve successfully transferred you. Inside, you’ll find plenty of useful info and insights, from advice on accessing your account to handy contact information.
Unfortunately, there isn't any cooling off period with business energy contracts. We'd recommend reading our terms and conditions carefully before you sign up with us, as it's not possible to cancel your contract within a specific timeframe.
No, your current energy provider carries on supplying your gas and electricity until we've successfully switched you over.
Sometimes your existing business energy supplier won’t let you switch to another supplier, which can lead to delays in your transfer. This is usually because:
If your current supplier objects to switching your energy supply to us, they have to tell you as soon as possible so you can fix the issue and carry on with your transfer.
Sometimes we get problems at our end in the form of an industry registration rejection that stops us setting up an account. But don’t worry, we’ll contact your broker to fix the issue if it occurs.
Contact your existing energy supplier and ask them to explain what the issue is. Once the objection has been resolved, let us know what’s happening so we can get the next phase of the switching process up and running for you. You can email our friendly team customertransfers@sefe-energy.com or call 0161 837 3395.
If you’re struggling to resolve the issue with your existing supplier, we’ll try to help in any way we can. If you’re switching to us through an independent energy broker or consultant, they can also provide assistance, too.
If you don’t end up resolving the objection and we don’t get an update on the issue, we’ll automatically re-apply for your transfer on the next available transfer date. Please update us, so we can schedule your transfer for the appropriate date.
Yes, if the person signing shows us a signed letter of authority from you - the end customer - giving them permission to sign contracts on your behalf. If you need one, you'll find a template letter of authority here.
If you have authority from your employer, you can sign the contract on their behalf. Note, we might have to ask for written confirmation just to check that you’re authorised to sign contracts on behalf of the organisation.
SEFE Energy is no longer providing new contracts for customers whose gas or electricity consumption is below 75,000 kWh.
We will, of course, continue to supply energy for existing customers coming up for renewal until they switch to a new supplier. But please take note that this will be on our Out of Contract rates, which may be more expensive than rates available under contract. We’d always recommend moving off this rate as quickly as possible.
More details on our Out of Contract Rates can be found here.
You will be categorised as a micro business if you fit into one of the following categories:
You use less than 293,000 kWh of gas a year
You use less than 100,000 kWh electricity a year
You have fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total of less than €2 million.
At SEFE Energy, we adhere to the voluntary minimum standards for micro-business customers, helping to safeguard their interests when it comes to their business energy. For more on our commitment to micro-business customers, visit our Help & Support page here.
Sadly not. We only provide business energy products and services to the non-domestic energy market.
If you have a first-generation smart meter, also known as a SMETS1 meter, it will carry on recording your energy use, but it might not send us your data. This will continue until The Data Communication Company (DCC) migrates your Smart meter, which can take several weeks.
Should there be any problems, you’ll hear from your existing supplier. If you haven’t heard anything back, then we’ve successfully transferred you. If you want to confirm this, then email or call our friendly team.
We'll also send you a welcome pack from our Customer Service Team, confirming that the transfer has gone through.
Gas: enquiries@sefe-energy.com or 0161 837 3395
Electricity: powerenquiries@sefe-energy.com or 0161 837 3395
If the site is still live with SEFE Energy, we can back-date amendments to VAT charges up to four years. If the site is no longer supplied by SEFE Energy, then we are unable to amend this.
The qualifying percentage is the amount of your usage that qualifies for reduced VAT. This is the split between the domestic or charitable non-business use and the business (including charitable business) use on the site. For more personalised advice on how to calculate this percentage, please contact HMRC directly on 0300 123 1073.
We can accept forms with more than one qualifying MPRN if the company name and ‘Details of Your Claim’ section is the same for all sites. If the sites have a different qualifying percentage, classification of claim or reason for claim then we require separate forms.
We can accept them on the same form if they have different site addresses, but the addresses must be supplied for each MPRN. This can be added as an appendix to the form.
In cases where we haven’t received a VAT declaration form, VAT is calculated based on the amount of consumption. For more information regarding this, please see our section on De Minimis.
If your company has charitable status but your application for reduced VAT has been rejected, it may be due to activities on the site falling under the category of charitable business use.
Only charitable non-business use qualifies for reduced VAT. If you would like more information on the distinction between the two, please refer to our guidance sheet. If there is both charitable business and charitable non-business use at the site, you will need to calculate the split between them for the qualifying percentage.
If none of the details on your contract have changed then you will not need to submit a new form. If there have even been slight changes, such as to the contracted company name, you will need to re-submit as we need the details on the form to match the details on the contract.
If you are entitled to the reduced rate for charitable non-business or domestic use reasons, this is not transferred and you will need to declare this to your new supplier. We have a VAT declaration form that we require customers to complete to ensure we have all the information we need. Please complete this and send to customeronboarding@sefe-energy.com.
If you are not eligible for the reduced rate as per the above, changes to your VAT rate can mostly likely be attributed to changes in consumption. For more information regarding this, please see our section on De Minimis.
Paying your SEFE Energy invoice is simple and straightforward. It can be done either by Direct Debit, BACS or a one-time debit or credit card payment.
Paying your business energy bills by Direct Debit takes the hassle out of monthly payments and means you’re less likely to miss a payment. We always recommend this as the best option to manage your business gas and electricity bills.
You can find more information on Direct Debits and how to pay your bills on our Help & Support page here.
To set up a new Direct Debit, simply print and complete a Direct Debit mandate form and return it to us. All Direct Debit transactions are covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.
Email: enquiries@sefe-energy.com
Fax: 0207 756 9789
Post: SEFE Energy, 5th Floor, 8 First Street, Manchester, M15 4RP
For more on Direct Debits, visit our Help & Support page here.
We often receive queries around estimated invoices where we estimate a customer bill based on the annual National Grid usage report. Customers can avoid estimated bills and manage energy payments by submitting a monthly meter reading. If you believe that your bill has been either under or over-estimated please provide a current meter reading via one of the methods described below and we will arrange to send you a corrected bill.
Online: My SEFE Energy
Telephone: 0161 837 3395
Text: 07860 020155
Email: enquiries@sefe-energy.com
You may be eligible for a refund, please contact customers services by telephone on 0161 837 3395. Please note, we may ask for additional security information before the refund can be made to protect you and your business.
For more information on refunds, visit our Help & Support section on Refunds here.
Specific questions about your account, including balance enquiries, should be directed to our Credit Control team on 0161 837 3396.
Gas transportation charges are a cost calculated by Ofgem, set in relation to a price control formula, for the transportation of gas.
The distribution and transmission charges that cover the cost of transporting gas make up around 34% of your business gas bill.
For more information on gas transportation charges, visit our Help & Support page here.
Out of contract rates apply when an energy contract between the customer and supplier comes to an end and no new or alternative rate is put in place. When a gas or electricity contract expires, the rates for supply revert to a default charge — otherwise known as the out of contract rate.
You can read more about out of contract rates in our Help & Support section here.
A deemed contract is a contract imposed by law between SEFE Energy (or any other supplier) and a consumer when there is no existing contractual relationship.
This most often occurs when a new tenant moves into a property. In such circumstances, the customer is charged the deemed rate by the property’s existing gas or electricity supplier.
Deemed contract rates are generally higher than standard contract rates.
You can read more about deemed rates in our Help & Support section here.
Making regular payments against your account will keep your payment history up to date. If your account requires reconciliation in order to bring it up to date, any previous payments will be taken into account when producing the up-to-date invoice.
An adjustment to your overall balance will then take place when the reconciliation invoice is produced. If this results in a credit on your account then this can be claimed or be used against future invoices.
Please do get in touch with us immediately on 0161 837 3396 or e-mail creditcontrol@sefe-energy.com if you're having difficulties paying your invoices.
Our Credit Control team have lots of experience in creating payment plans for customers who need help.
Now that you have a smart device fitted to your meter, we should receive actual readings from the meter at the end of each month. These are then used to calculate your monthly invoices.
In some instances, we may still need to use estimations. Such as:
If the energy consumption shown on your invoice is less than 4,397 kWh gas / 1,000 kWh electricity per month (around 145 kWh gas / 33 kWh electricity per day), then this falls under the 'De Minimis' principle set by HM Revenue & Customs, and is only liable for 5% VAT and no CCL.
This limit applies whether the bill is based on an actual meter reading or an estimate.
The rates are reviewed every year and will only impact holders of a climate change agreement.
If you are unsure on whether you are currently in a Climate Change Agreement, please contact HMRC on 0300 200 3700.
If you are exempt on VAT because you qualify for domestic rates or are a charitable organisation, then no CCL will be charged.
See our exemption guidance notes or visit the GOV.UK page on environmental taxes, reliefs and schemes for businesses for more details.
For more information on VAT, visit our Help & Support section here.
The amount you’ve been charged for CCL will appear on your invoice, alongside usage amounts, energy costs and standing charges. If you’re unsure how much you’ve been charged, get in touch with our team here.
The latest CCL rates can be found on our CCL Help & Support page here or by visiting the Gov.UK website here.
Some customers are entitled to full/partial relief from the CCL charge. If you hold a valid exemption from this charge, SEFE Energy will apply this to your account.
If this has not been applied to your account, please submit a copy of your valid certificate to enquiries@sefe-energy.com and we will update your account to reflect your exemption. Your account will then be reconciled within the next invoice.
You can find supporting documents on the Government’s website here:
Read more about CCL exemptions here.
Some customers are entitled to full/partial relief from the VAT charge. If you hold a valid exemption from this charge, SEFE Energy will apply this to your account.
Information on applying for a VAT reduction/exemption due to domestic or charitable non-business activities can be found here.
If the consumption falls below the De Minimis level, this is considered as domestic use by HMRC regardless of the actual use and will be charged at 5%. In these instances, consumption is calculated based on meter reads and the VAT will be calculated from this, so you will not need to provide any supporting evidence.
Read more about De Minimis VAT rates here.
You are only required to complete the PP11 form if you have a Climate Change Agreement and the rate changes for the coming year. The form will need to be submitted for April.
Your monthly invoice will always show the amount of energy you consumed in that month, and you can access a particular month’s meter data online at any time free through our customer portal, My SEFE Energy.
For customers using a smart device, you can also access up to 12 months of free smart device data at the click of a button. Just log into My SEFE Energy, select your account and site details, navigate to the ‘AMR and Smart Metering’ tab and click ‘Download report’.
Your monthly invoices are available to view through our online customer portal, My SEFE Energy. Just log in on your device and navigate to ‘Invoicing’.
Each month, we look at the meter read from your last bill and your most recent one and subtract one from the other.
For electricity, this is how we determine your monthly kilowatt hours (kWh) used.
For gas we then use that number to convert those reads into actual gas used, using a formula to give us the exact amount of kilowatt hours (kWh) you have used.
The kWh amounts are then multiplied by the price of energy agreed on your contract to give us the cost of your energy usage that month.
Our helpful guide will break down all these costs for you and any other fields on your energy bills you would like to know more about.
This depends on whether the gas meter is metric (i.e. measures in cubic metres) or imperial (i.e. measures in cubic feet). For a metric meter, the calculation is as follows:
(End Read – Start Read) x Calorific Value x Correction Factor*) / 3.6 = kWh
*Correction Factor is an allowance for your unique location and meter type. Your correction factor is shown on your invoice.
For an Imperial meter, the calculation is as follows:
(End Read – Start Read) x Calorific Value x Correction Factor * 2.83) / 3.6 = kWh
If you’ve already received a letter or email from SEFE Energy offering you a smart meter, all you need to do is contact us 0161 837 3392 to progress.
Alternatively, you can contact smartmetering@sefe-energy.com or opt-in using the link on the email you’ve been sent.
If you haven’t yet received a communication from us, you can register your interest here.
Following this, we’ll pass your details on to our smart meter providers, who will contact you to arrange an installation date.
If you need to change your smart meter installation appointment, please contact us on 0161 837 3392 or email smartmetering@sefe-energy.com, and we’ll arrange a new installation date with our smart meter provider.
The electricity meter is the primary meter on a dual fuel installation. This requires both meters to be within approximately five meters (16 feet) of each other. If this isn’t possible, additional costs could be incurred.
For sites where SEFE Energy only supplies gas, we may be dependent on your electricity supplier to install an electricity smart meter prior to us being able to install the gas smart meter.
Please contact us immediately here, sharing the details or attachment of the phishing attempt. We will then investigate this and confirm whether it is a legitimate correspondence or phishing attempt and support you with any next steps as needed.
There are various reasons why we may not be able to install a meter at your property, for example there may be an issue with an existing meter.
We’re installing smart meters for microbusinesses as a priority, which may also be why we’re currently unable to fit a smart meter at your premises.
You will qualify as a micro-business if:
There are some meters that aren’t eligible for an upgrade to a smart meter just yet. However, where we can’t fit a smart meter, we may be able to offer the installation of an AMR device.
An Automated Meter Reading (AMR) device takes meter readings and automatically sends us the data. We then use this data to calculate your bills based on your actual use. They’re similar to smart meters you’d find in your home or in a small business, except they don’t have a visual display. They are most frequently used for large businesses with high energy consumption.
Read more about Smart Meters & AMRs here.
We take any attempts like this very seriously. If you receive any email, telephone or SMS communications from SEFE Energy that you feel are suspicious, please report it so we can log and investigate this.
You can contact us here.
Normally, you won’t be charged. There may be charges applied if the meter has been damaged by you or a third party in accordance with your general terms and conditions. If there’s an issue with your smart meter, please contact us on 0161 837 3380 or email us at smartmetering@sefe-energy.com.
We can then investigate any issues and resolve them for you as soon as possible.
The installation of your smart meter is normally free, although there may be some additional costs. We’ll let you know prior to the installation if a cost may apply. Our installers will let you know of any additional costs before fitting the meter so you can decide whether you’re happy to proceed.
With your existing meter, you currently pay a very small maintenance charge which is built into your bill. This will be the same for your smart meter.
We will sometimes email you to request a meter reading, even if you have a smart meter installed. This is to ensure the meter is still working correctly and so that you’re only billed to your actual usage.
Once your account has been updated, your bill will be generated based on readings from your new smart meter.
This can sometimes occur while your account is being updated with your new smart meter information. To ensure your meter is working correctly, we also arrange check readings and/or maintenance visits to take place.
If you’re moving, please contact us at the earliest opportunity before you move on 0161 837 3392 or via email smartmetering@sefe-energy.com.
This way we can ensure that the meters are remotely cleared of all consumption data and a final remote meter reading can be taken before the new occupier moves in.
No, you don’t require an internet connection for a smart meter to work. Depending on your location, the smart meter will communicate by using existing mobile or radio signals currently in your area.
There is no legal obligation to have a smart meter installed.
However, SEFE Energy is supportive of the Government programme and we’re aiming to install smart meters for our eligible microbusiness customers so that they get the benefits of a smart meter.
If you’d like to read more about this please visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smart-meters-the-smart-choice
Typically, it will be installed in the current location of your gas and electricity meters.
It would be helpful if you could send a picture of the meter location to smartmetering@sefe-energy.com to make us aware of any potential issues during installation.
A standard installation can take up to one hour per meter, you’ll be without gas and electricity during this time. The engineers completing the exchange will let you know how long each supply will be switched off for.
Yes, you are free to change supplier if you have a smart meter, but it would be best to check if your new supplier can support the smart metering technology before you agree to switch. You can find your meter details on the meter itself, alternatively you can take a photo on your smart phone and send it to smartmetering@sefe-energy.com and we’ll be able to advise you.
So we can provide you with more accurate energy bills, make sure to submit your meter reading(s) to us each month, on or before the 5th. That way, we can capture your accurate energy usage in time for our next billing run.
The easiest way to provide us with your latest meter reading is to submit it online through our customer portal, My SEFE Energy. This is also where you can download invoices, helpful documents, change your contact details and much more.
Alternatively, you can get submit your meter readings to our Customer Services team directly, by emailing enquiries@sefe-energy.com along with your SEFE Energy Account Number or the Meter Point Reference (MPR). You can find both of these numbers on your latest bill.
You can find more information about meter readings in our Help & Support section here.
A gas opening meter reading is important for a few different reasons. Not only does it provide us with a start point, but by getting things right now, we’ll avoid potential issues in the future. Your opening read needs to be submitted up to 10 working days after your supply goes live.
If you have a smart meter or Automated Meter Reading (AMR) device, you should still provide an opening read. Opening reads can be provided through the My SEFE Energy online portal or via the AMR Team at amr@sefe-energy.com.
If we don’t obtain an opening read, we’ll use an Industry Estimated Read (MBR) instead, which could cause issues with your invoices and possibly result in a Shipper Agreed Read (SAR) dispute with your previous supplier. If you have any queries regarding your opening meter read, then you can get in touch with us at: amr@sefe-energy.com or through our online contact form here.
Gas customers:
All of our gas customers are eligible for free smart device, either a smart meter or, for large businesses, an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) device.
Interested? You can request this by contacting us on 0161 837 3371 or emailing amr@sefe-energy.com.
Small businesses can opt in to receive a smart meter here.
Electricity customers:
All our non-half-hourly electricity customers are eligible to receive an AMR.
Half-hourly metering for larger sites is also automated. Any site that is currently read by someone visiting the meter can request a free AMR device by calling 0161 837 3392 or emailing dataflows@sefe-energy.com.
For gas, installation timescales for AMR devices can vary. Installation is subject to either SEFE Energy or our partners being able to schedule a suitable date to carry out the work.
A data logger is plugged into an external port on the meter so there is no need to disconnect the gas supply. Generally, installation takes around 20 minutes with minimal disruption to the site.
For electricity, your full meter must be exchanged, so it takes a little longer. We aim to complete installation within 3 months of you starting with us.
You may experience a brief loss of power depending on the type of supply you have. But don’t fret, this usually lasts no longer than an hour.
Once smart device technology has been installed, we’ll sometimes encounter issues with the read or its collection. Your invoice may then be based upon an estimate rather than an actual read. We monitor any such issues and look to resolve them as soon as possible.
If you believe the read we have collected and used to create your invoice is inaccurate please contact us and we’ll get to the bottom of things and inform you of any issues.
Gas customers: You can find more details on how to report a faulty meter or smart device here.
Electricity customers: To report an issue with your electricity meter, call us on 0161 837 3392 or email dataflows@sefe-energy.com.
If you have a 2-rate meter, also known as Economy 7, then you can view your energy usage through the day and night.
Which number is which can often vary from meter to meter. To help you distinguish one from the other, your meter might have these identifiers on the meter itself or it may say Normal or N (day) or Low or L (night) next to the readings.
Other meters may only display day readings during the day and vice versa with night readings. Further still, the readings may also be listed as Rate 1 and Rate 2, or Rate 1 and Rate 4.
However this is marked on your meter, read each row from left to right, including any zeroes, and make sure to ignore any numbers after the decimal point or in red.
Electricity: Subject to an accepted supply contract being in place, we will aim to have your meter installed within 20 working days. This is indicative lead-time and is subject to the size of the supply and metering you currently have at site.
Gas: As with electricity, we would require a supply contract to be in place before we install your meter. Unlike electricity meters, gas meter installation times can vary greatly depending on the size of your supply and metering equipment required. We use our specialist service provider and meter asset manager, Energy Assets Limited (EAL) to organise the installation. EAL can also provide assistance with new supply requests.
The connection cost will depend on the size of supply and/or meter you wish to have installed. We, or EAL, will provide a quotation for works as appropriate.
Please contact our dedicated site services team on 0161 837 3371 or email us at geuksiteservices@sefe-energy.com for more information.
BGlobal, Siemens and IMServ are electricity meter asset management (MAM) partners of SEFE Energy.
We use these partners to install or set-up advanced meters (a kind of smart meter) to enable automated meter reading (AMR).
Energy Assets Limited (EAL) is an accredited, gas, meter asset management partner of SEFE Energy. We use EAL to install or set-up advanced meters (a kind of smart meter) to enable automated meter reading (AMR). They can be reached on 01506 405 430.
As the UK sales arm of SEFE – Securing Energy for Europe, our company name, previously Gazprom Marketing & Trading Retail Limited, has changed to SEFE Energy Limited.
The SEFE name reflects the new role of the SEFE group in securing a reliable source of energy for Europe and driving the green energy transformation.
SEFE Energy Limited is 100% owned by SEFE Marketing & Trading Limited (based on London), which is 100% owned by SEFE Securing Energy for Europe GmbH (“SEFE”).
Since 14 November 2022, SEFE GmbH and its subsidiaries have been owned by the Federal Republic of Germany, represented by the “BMWK” (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action).
You can read more about this transfer of ownership, in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action’s press release, dated 14 November 2022.
Yes, our immediate parent company is now SEFE Marketing & Trading Limited (SM&T) which was formerly Gazprom Marketing & Trading Limited. SM&T’s parent company is SEFE Securing Energy for Europe GmbH (SEFE) which was formerly Gazprom Germania GmbH.
This change means we have entered a new chapter, one we are all very excited about, but it does not impact our day-to-day operations. We remain steadfast in our commitment to offering a reliable and customer-focused service to businesses and organisations across Great Britain.
For customers, your energy supply agreement has not been amended or affected at the result of this change, and we are still using the same bank details (please ensure the name states SEFE Energy Limited), telephone numbers and addresses so please do contact us through normal channels.
SEFE Energy sources its gas from the same wholesale market as most other suppliers. All trading activity for our customers is undertaken by SEFE Marketing & Trading Ltd - our UK parent company, based in London. The gas we buy on the wholesale market comes from a variety of sources and countries including Norway and Qatar.
The name on our bank account has changed to SEFE Energy Limited but no other bank details have changed.
Our bank account number and contact details are the same, and there are no immediate account changes planned. You can find out more about Bills & Payments here, and you can find up to date bank account details Paying your energy bills here.
The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is an environmental tax charged on the energy that businesses use. A means of encouraging businesses to be more energy efficient in how they operate, the CCL aims to reduce the overall emissions that businesses produce.
In simple terms, the more energy efficient your business is, and the less carbon-emitting energy you use, the less CCL you’ll pay.
You can find more information on the CCL in our Help & Support page here.
SEFE Energy attracts a wide range of customers across different sectors, and we know each business has a different set of challenges.
From industrial enterprises and public sector organisations to retail, health care, property groups and everything in between – we work as partners to help our customers achieve their energy goals. Our team of energy professionals can identify and tailor products and services to meet the specific needs of your organisation.
We exclusively sell to the non-domestic market. However, in some instances the energy we supply may be used in domestic dwellings - like when we supply to housing associations or re-sellers, for example.
If you are a customer, please contact your Account Manager or our Customer Service team. If you’re not a customer, you can submit questions through our Contact Us page.
The My SEFE Energy portal is available at my.sefe-energy.co.uk.
If you’re in the process of moving premises and closing your account with us, make sure to provide a meter read taken on the date you move out, as well as a forwarding address. You can do this using our Change of Tenancy form here.
This will allow us to produce an accurate final bill and determine any credit you’re owed.
If a credit is showing on your final statement once you’ve moved out, get in touch with our Customer Services team through our online form or email enquiries@sefe-energy.com to request a refund.
In your message or email, please quote your SEFE Energy account number, bank sort code and bank account number together with the refund amount you are requesting. We aim to have your refund processed within seven days.
If your account is in credit, you may be able to receive a refund. Contact our Customer Services team on 0161 837 3395 or through our webform, quoting your account number, and we’ll look into it for you. Please note, we may ask for additional security information before the refund can be made to protect you and your business.
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) is a piece of legislation that makes it mandatory for large businesses, including charitable organisations, to report their energy and carbon emissions, along with efficiency measures taken throughout the year, on an annual basis.
Read more about SECR here, or visit the UK Government’s full guidance on Environmental Reporting, including SECR here.
Introduced in 2011, REMIT provides a regulatory framework for wholesale energy markets that prohibits market manipulation and insider trading. The regulation makes these offences easily detectable and strengthens the registration and reporting processes of those participating in wholesale energy products.
Should your organisation fall under the scope of the REMIT regulations, then you need to register as a market participant with the relevant national regulator (in the UK, this is Ofgem) and where applicable you’ll also need to report the relevant contractual information.
You can find more information about REMIT in our Help & Support section, or on the Ofgem website.
Energy brokers have no influence on the per unit cost reductions applied to your bills under this scheme. If you’re eligible, you don’t need to take out a new contract or change your contract for the discount to be applied.
The Energy Bills Discount scheme (EBDS) is a government supported scheme and intended to continue to provide non-domestic customers with a discount on their energy bills subject to eligibility. The scheme will run from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
The EBDS replaces the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), which supported businesses and organisations between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.
At SEFE Energy, we’re fully supportive of the government’s proposal and have been participating in the scheme alongside other B2B suppliers in the industry. We will continue to share updates about the scheme on our website as more information is made available.
For more information on EBDS, visit our Help & Support page here.
Information can also be found on the government website here.
The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) will run from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
The EBDS replaces the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), which supported businesses and organisations between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.
The EBDS scheme will be available to everyone on a non-domestic energy supply contract with a licensed energy supplier including:
• businesses
• voluntary sector organisations, such as charities
• public sector organisations such as schools, hospitals and care homes
who are:
• on existing fixed price contracts that were agreed on or after 1 December 2021
• signing new fixed price contracts
• on deemed/out of contract or variable tariffs, or
• on flexible purchase (or similar) contracts
• on variable ‘Day Ahead Index’ (DAI) tariffs (Northern Ireland scheme only)
Comparable support will be extended to non-domestic energy customers who receive gas or electricity delivered over public networks from non-licensed providers.
The scheme provides a baseline discount, which is calculated as the difference between the wholesale price associated with your energy contract and a price threshold that is published and set by the Government.
The scheme is made up of three different parts:
Please refer to the UK Government’s EBDS page for the most up-to-date information.
Customers identified by the government as primarily operating within Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) may be eligible for a discount that will provide a higher level of support.
An ETII customer is a non-domestic customer, operating primarily in sectors that have been identified by the government as the most energy and trade intensive.
The government has identified a list of sectors eligible for this scheme based on Standard Industry Classification (SIC) codes, which can be found here.
The government portal for ETII energy customers can be found here.
Additional FAQs on EBDS support for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) can be found here.
Heat suppliers are organisations that supply heating and hot water through heat networks. They usually purchase energy to supply heat through commercial contracts.
The EBDS Heat Network discount will provide a higher level of support to heat networks with domestic end consumers – you need to have previously registered to get this support.
More information can be found here.
Additional FAQs on EBDS support for heat networks can be found here.
Eligible non-domestic customers receive a per kWh discount to their energy bills during the 12-month period from April 2023 to March 2024. This is subject to a maximum discount.
The relative discount will be applied if wholesale prices are above a certain price threshold.
For most non-domestic energy users in Great Britain and Northern Ireland these threshold prices and maximum discounts have been set at:
The discount is calculated as the difference between the wholesale price associated with your energy contract and the price threshold.
The discount is phased in when the contract’s wholesale price exceeds the floor price, until the total discount per MWh reaches the maximum discount for that fuel.
The discount is only applied to the wholesale element of the bill and so the final per unit price paid will differ as it includes other costs such as network charges.
No. If you’re eligible for the Scheme, the standard discount will be automatically applied to your bill. You don’t need to contact us or apply for the Scheme to receive it.
To receive additional support if you’re an ETII customer or part of a heat network, you need to have registered on the government’s portal prior to the application period closing, after which eligible customers will have been issued a certificate to access the higher rate of discount.
More information on additional support for ETII customers can be found here.
More information on additional support for Heat Networks can be found here.
If you’re eligible, most non-domestic customers receiving the baseline discount should have seen it applied to their energy bills from May 2023.
It's important to note, most non-domestic customers will not see additional support on their energy bills from April and any support is likely to be significantly reduced.
Please refer to the government’s EBDS page for the most up to date information.
If you have qualified for a discount, you will see this figure confirmed on your gas or electricity invoice.
Energy brokers have no influence on the per unit cost reductions applied to your bills under this scheme. If you’re eligible, you don’t need to take out a new contract or change your contract for the discount to be applied.
If you agree to a new fixed price contract after 1 April 2023 you will receive the same EBDS support as per the Government baseline discount, providing your contract starts before 31 March 2024. This applies to both new and existing customers.
VAT can only be charged on the cost that we bill you, so you will pay VAT if applicable on the cost of energy after the EBDS discount(s) if you qualify.
If you have not renewed or arranged a new supply contract when your current agreement ends, you will default as standard to our out of contract rates.
More information on those charges can be found here.
Our UK sales headquarters is based in Manchester, but SEFE Energy also has locations in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.
Our direct parent company, SEFE Marketing & Trading, is headquartered in London and our ultimate parent company, SEFE Securing Energy for Europe (“SEFE”), is headquartered in Berlin.
While the core of SEFE’s business is based in Europe, the group operates globally.
Across all locations, SEFE employs 1,500 from 50 nationalities.
At our UK sales headquarters in Manchester, we employ 250 colleagues in a diverse array of roles and specialties from all across SEFE – from sales and operations, to technology, data science and more. While our primary activity in Manchester is sales, many colleagues from our central functions work from our Manchester office as well.
SEFE Energy and WINGAS work collaboratively to form the Sales arm of SEFE. While legal entities differ by country, we operate as one business across all markets.
In 2022 we changed from Gazprom Energy to SEFE Energy Limited – in line with this, our emails have changed from @gazprom-energy.com to @sefe-energy.com.
Please note in some instances, there may still be cases where @gazprom-energy.com is referenced on correspondence – however, at this current moment, the only emails you should receive from the SEFE Energy UK team are:
If you receive communications from any other emails, please get in contact to let us know. If we change our email addresses this will be communicated in advance.
We may need to gain access to your property to:
For more information on SEFE Energy visiting your premises, visit our Help & Support page here.
UIG charges are not specifically stated on your energy bill but will be included as a charge within the unit rate.
If you are a fixed customer then this unit rate will not change for the duration of your contract, so the UIG rate remains unchanged too.
If you’re concerned about UIG charges or want to know more, you can contact our Customer Service team here.
Unidentified gas, known as UIG, is gas that cannot be accounted for and has been lost from the system. This can be due to theft, leakage from gas pipes, consumption by unregistered supply points. An independent expert determines the way in which this energy is allocated to shippers, and these costs are then factored into each consumers’ unit rates.
For more on UIG, visit our Help & Support article here.
The Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme is a government programme designed to promote the uptake of a range of small-scale renewable and low-carbon electricity generation technologies. It is available through licensed electricity suppliers. The scheme requires licensed suppliers to make tariff payments on both generation and export of renewable and low carbon electricity.
Please note, SEFE Energy is not a Mandatory or a Voluntary FIT Licensee for the Feed-In Tariff (FIT). As such, we cannot make FIT payments or accept applications for the Scheme.
For more information on the FIT Scheme, visit Ofgem’s website here.
SEFE Energy is not a Mandatory or a Voluntary FIT Licensee for the Feed-In Tariff (FIT).
For more information on the Feed-in Tariff, visit our Help & Support article here.
As SEFE Energy is not a FIT Licensee, we are not able to make FIT payments to businesses that generate electricity and export it to the National Grid. As such, we cannot accept applications to the Feed-in Tariffs Scheme from any of our new or existing business energy customers.
For more information on the Feed-in Tariff, visit our Help & Support article here.
You can read about the Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice in our Standard & Code section here.
If you are on a variable tariff, and want to remain on it, you will get the reduction, subject to the ‘maximum discount’.
Deemed contract rates, traditionally, are higher than the fixed contract prices we can offer customers. More information on those charges can be found here.
You may benefit from being on a fixed price contract. If you would like to discuss your contract options, please request a quote through the Request a Quote page here.
Deemed contracts are entirely legal and enforceable by energy suppliers. That said, if you can prove your energy provider has failed to properly inform you that you’re on a deemed contract, you might be able to negotiate with them.
Failing to pay your energy bills when you’re on a deemed contract is the same as failing to pay on any other contract. Not paying a previous bill or not paying a regular amount towards future invoices will mean you’re in arrears with your supplier, and this should be dealt with urgently
If you don’t resolve your debts, your energy supplier may cut off your supply. However, this measure is only a last resort, and your utilities company should give you notice before this happens.
A deemed contract lasts as long as you want it to. Your deemed contract supplier is obliged to continue supplying your gas and charging you for your gas consumption and associated charges until you take one of the following actions:
You’ll need to continue paying the deemed rate until you move off this contract. But since deemed rates are pricier than other rates, we’d advise you to take one of the actions above and seek out a rate that your business can more realistically afford.
No. Deemed rates occur when no contract has been set up. You’re placed on them automatically.
Variable tariffs, on the other hand, are suited to businesses who can afford to weather the changing prices of energy market activity. It’s entirely up to you whether you decide to be placed on them.
If your business isn’t opposed to risk, then there are certainly benefits to going with a variable tariff.
For more information on variable tariffs, click here.
You can find our current out of contract and deemed rates in our Help & Support section here.
Out of contract and deemed rates may be more expensive than rates available under a contract. To avoid paying more than necessary, we recommend you try to move off this rate as quickly as possible. Request a quote online, and someone will be in touch soon.
A ratchet is a commercial penalty charge applied to any daily gas meter which, during the winter period (October to May), exceeds its agreed Daily Capacity.
For more on ratchet charges, including how to avoid them, visit our Help & Support section here.
If you need to change or correct your supply address, please first check that the updated address has been validated by Royal Mail. This will ensure that Xoserve will accept the amendment and process it quicker.
You can amend your supply address through our form here.
You'll be asked to complete a COT form if you've moved, or are planning to move, in or out of a property supplied by SEFE Energy.
If you are moving out, we need the details in the form to process your final invoice and close your account. If you are moving in, we need the details to accurately invoice you for any gas consumption and associated charges and to ensure you have an accurate, up-to-date account.
If a Change of Tenancy is processed from a commercial supply to a domestic residence, the new responsible party will be placed on deemed contract rates and would need to find a domestic supplier as soon as possible.
We are unable to offer a contract for domestic energy use. The new responsible party will be liable for all invoices produced for the period of time they are responsible for the supply.
Please ensure whoever you are requesting for the supply to be replaced with is able to handle the responsibility of the account. SEFE Energy can only discuss accounts with the names party.
Customers identified by the government as primarily operating within Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) may be eligible for a discount that will provide a higher level of support.
An ETII customer is a non-domestic customer, operating primarily in sectors that have been identified by the government as the most energy and trade intensive.
The government has identified a list of sectors eligible for this scheme based on Standard Industry Classification (SIC) codes, which can be found here.
To be eligible for the ETII discount, you must have a non-domestic contract with a licensed energy supplier and be:
Your UK business or organisation should also be able to prove that at least 50% of its revenue is being generated from UK-based activity within eligible SIC code sectors.
For Local Authorities, eligibility will be determined at a premise level. Where there are no relevant accounts, the Local Authority will be required to declare that at least 50% of the space is taken up by operations within eligible sectors.
You must apply via the gov.uk portal for ETII support. Applications are now open and updated information can be found here.
Your supplier can not apply for this higher level of support on your behalf. If you do not apply for the support, we will not be able to provide you with the discount automatically.
Eligible organisations will have 90 days from the scheme introduction date of 26 April to apply for the ETII support.
The government has indicated that you will need to provide information about your organisation or business including:
You will also be required to provide evidence for your application signed by a named director or equivalent of your organisation or business.
The government will determine eligibility based on the application. In some instances, further validation of eligibility may be required meaning that the organisation will be asked for additional information. The government will use a number of data sources to determine this.
The information that will be required is subject to change – please refer to the government’s EBDS page for the most up to date guidance.
If you cannot apply online when applications open, or have further questions, you can contact the government EBDS customer support team.
Email: support@ebds.beis.gov.uk
Telephone: 030 0400 5251 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Find out about call charges
At SEFE Energy, we’re fully supportive of the government’s proposal and will participate in the Scheme alongside other B2B suppliers in the industry. We will continue to share updates about the Scheme as more information is made available.
Heat suppliers are organisations that supply heating and hot water through heat networks. They usually purchase energy to supply heat through commercial contracts.
As non-domestic customers, all eligible heat networks will receive at least the baseline level of support under the EBDS. A higher level of support will be available to heat networks with domestic end consumers.
Eligible organisations will need to take action to receive this support. The most up-to-date information on this can be found here.
Heat suppliers that have heat networks with domestic end consumers will be required by law to apply for this support and pass on the benefit they receive to their end consumers.
Heat networks will be eligible for the higher level of support if their heat network:
This scheme aims to bring retail energy prices paid by heat suppliers down to a specific heat network Minimum Supply Price. This means there are no maximum discounts or wholesale price thresholds for heat networks. This is different to the approach taken for other parts of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme or the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
The scheme will support the wholesale element of a heat network’s energy tariff, up to the point that the Minimum Supply Price is achieved. The Minimum Supply Prices will be set as:
After your application for the scheme has been approved, heat suppliers will receive the new discount rate from their energy suppliers. They will then need to pass this discount on to their consumers.
The aim of the support scheme for heat networks should ensure that domestic customers on heat networks do not face disproportionately higher heat and hot water bills when compared to customers in equivalent households who are supported by the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG).
You must apply via the gov.uk portal for ETII support. Applications are now open and updated information can be found here.
Your supplier can not apply for this higher level of support on your behalf. If you do not apply for the support, we will not be able to provide you with the discount automatically.
Eligible organisations will have 90 days from the scheme introduction date of 26 April to apply for the higher support.
The government has indicated that you will need to provide information about your heat network supply, such as but not limited to:
Details of the heat supplier:
Details of the individual completing the application:
Details of the heat network:
Applicants will also need to provide a signed Director’s declaration letter. A letter signed by a named director or equivalent of your organisation or business that states that all the information in the application is accurate to the best of their knowledge. A PDF template will be provided for this when applications open.
Applicants may need to provide further evidence that the heat network for which they are applying has domestic customers.
The information that will be required is subject to change – please refer to the government’s ERDS page for the most up-to-date guidance.
If you cannot apply online when applications open, or have further questions, you can contact the government EBDS customer support team.
Email: support@ebds.beis.gov.uk
Telephone: 030 0400 5251 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Find out about call charges
