Retail Competition
Retail Competition
From 1 April 2017 all non-household customers have been able to choose who they buy their retail water and sewerage services from. This includes all businesses (large and small), schools, hospitals, charities, government and councils. This ability for customers to choose created more competition in the water industry, aiming to reduce prices, improve customer service and to improve water sustainability and resilience. To operate in this market, Yorkshire Water separated out its non-household retail function for business customers from its household and wholesale activities. The wholesale part of Yorkshire Water continues to provide wholesale water and waste water services to your business premises, with your retailer providing your customer services such as reading your meter, sending your bills and dealing with any questions or queries you may have.
On the 1 October 2019, Yorkshire Water exited from the retail part of the market and transferred the retail business customer accounts of Yorkshire Water Business Services to Scottish Water Business Stream.
For more information, including details of all licensed retailers and how to switch, go to the independent industry website Open Water or the website of our regulator Ofwat.
What does this mean to your business?
If you are a business customer and didn’t actively switch retailer, your account with Yorkshire Water Business Services will have been transferred to the retail licensee Scottish Water Business Stream on the 1 October 2019. If you chose at any time to switch to another retailer, their details will be on your bill and their website can be accessed here.