The process
What a claim actually involves, start to finish
No part of this is quick, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. Here is the honest version, including where the delays usually sit.
01
You send us the paperwork
We need the energy contracts signed in the last six years, a year of bills or an annual statement for each supply, and any correspondence with the broker — including the letter of authority if you signed one.
Most of this is in a filing cabinet or an email archive. If some of it is missing we can usually obtain copies from the supplier.
02
We establish what you were told
The central question is not whether commission existed but whether it was disclosed in a way that allowed you to make an informed decision. We read the contract, the quote and the sales correspondence with that specific question in mind.
We also check limitation. Contracts signed more than six years ago may still be actionable where commission was deliberately concealed, but that has to be argued rather than assumed.
03
We obtain the commission data
The figure you cannot get from your own records is the rate the supplier offered before the broker's uplift was added. We make a formal request to the supplier for the commission paid on your account.
Suppliers vary in how quickly they respond. Four to eight weeks is typical; some take longer.
04
We tell you what we think it is worth
You get a written assessment: the sums involved, the strength of the argument, the weaknesses, and what the other side is likely to say. Where the amount does not justify the effort, we say so plainly rather than take the matter on.
05
Recovery
Most matters are resolved by negotiation with the supplier or broker without proceedings being issued. Where a claim warrants litigation and the merits support it, we work with specialist solicitors who conduct the case.
Fees
What it costs
The initial review is free and carries no obligation. We do not charge to read your contracts and tell you whether there is anything in them.
Where we take a matter on, we work on a no win no fee basis. The exact fee is discussed and agreed in writing on a case by case basis before anything begins. If nothing is recovered, you owe us nothing.
There is no upfront payment, search fee or administration charge at any point.
Realistic timescales
- Initial review
- 3–5 working days
- Supplier commission data
- 4–8 weeks, sometimes longer
- Assessment and advice
- 1–2 weeks after data received
- Negotiated settlement
- 3–9 months from instruction
- Litigated claim
- 12 months or more
Alternatives
You may not need us at all
If your business meets Ofgem's microbusiness definition and a single modest contract is involved, the free route through your supplier's complaints process and then the Energy Ombudsman is very likely the sensible first step. It costs nothing and you do not need a representative.
You are also entitled to bring a civil claim yourself. Most businesses do not, because obtaining and interpreting the commission data is time-consuming and the other side is legally represented, but nothing prevents it.