Why do I keep getting cold calls about business energy?

If you run a shop, café or office, you may get several calls a month about "your energy contract". There is a commercial reason.

Why it happens

• Commission. Brokers are usually paid by suppliers when a customer signs, so there is money in each new contract.
• Timing. Callers try to catch you near renewal, when you are most likely to move. Some pretend to know your end date to sound credible.
• Lists. Business phone numbers are widely published and shared, and once a number is in circulation, many firms may call it.

Callers sometimes imply they are your supplier, or "the energy regulator". They are not, and Ofgem does not make unsolicited calls to sell deals.

What not to do on the call

• Do not agree to anything. Ofgem says a verbal agreement is binding and there is no cooling-off period.
• Do not read out your MPAN, MPRN, bill or account number. Learn what these are in finding your MPAN and MPRN.
• Do not sign a letter of authority on the spot; see is it safe to sign one?

A short script that works

1. "Who are you and which company are you with?"
2. "Are you my supplier?" If not, "I'm not interested. Please remove my number."
3. If interested: "Email me the supplier, term, unit rate, standing charge and your commission in pounds."
4. End the call. Decide later, from writing.

Keep a call log: date, number, company, what was claimed. It helps if you ever need to complain.

Recovery scams

Ofgem warns that scammers claim they can get commission back for you and ask for a fee. Ofgem cannot make brokers repay commission, and says to take independent legal advice before pursuing a claim.

Example

A bakery gets a call: "We see your contract ends next month. Let me check your usage." The owner says nothing about numbers and asks for an email. None arrives. The caller's name, firm and the date go in the log, and the owner decides to compare at her own pace using her real bills.

Register with the Corporate TPS

If you are a limited company, LLP or Scottish partnership, you can register each of your phone numbers with the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS). The ICO says registration is free, takes 28 days to take effect and must be renewed every year, and each number has to be registered separately. Callers should then not make unsolicited sales calls to those numbers. Sole traders and other partnerships are treated as individuals, so they use the ordinary TPS instead.

If calls continue or turn aggressive

Tell the caller your number is registered and ask them to suppress it, then report persistent unwanted sales calls to the ICO, which uses complaints to decide where to take enforcement action. Citizens Advice can help with business energy problems, and Ofgem's microbusiness guidance page explains how to get in touch with Ofgem.

Tell your team

Staff who answer the phone are the first line of defence. Agree a simple rule: nobody confirms contract details or agrees anything, and all energy calls go to one named person. Put the rule in writing so a new starter knows it. A single policy stops a Friday-afternoon call turning into a binding agreement.

Next steps

Do your own comparison when you choose. Our guide on broker mis-selling explains tactics to spot, and the best time to switch helps you plan.