How to Check If You’re on a Deemed Energy Contract

How to Check If You're on a Deemed Energy Contract

Quick Answer

Check your latest energy bill for the tariff name. If it says “deemed”, “default”, or “standard variable”, you’re on default pricing and paying well above what a fixed deal would cost. If you’ve never signed a contract with the supplier at your current premises, you’re almost certainly on a deemed rate. You can switch at any time with no exit fees.

In this Article

1. Check Your Bill for the Tariff Name
2. Check If You Ever Signed a Contract
3. Contact Your Supplier Directly
4. What to Do If You’re on Deemed Rates
5. Key Takeaways

You moved into the premises a while back. The energy was already on. Nobody asked you to sign anything, and at the time that felt like one less thing to worry about. Now the bills seem high and you’re not entirely sure why.

Or maybe you did sign a deal years ago but can’t remember when it ended. There’s been no letter, no reminder, and the direct debit just keeps going out. It’s easy to assume nothing’s changed. But if your fixed deal expired without a renewal, something has changed, and it’s costing you.

Either way, finding out takes a few minutes.

Check Your Bill for the Tariff Name

Pull out your most recent energy bill and look for the tariff or plan name. It’s usually on the front page or in the tariff summary section further in.

You’re looking for specific words. “Deemed” is the clearest indicator. “Default” and “standard variable” both mean the same thing in practice. If you see “out of contract” or “transition rate”, you’re in similar territory: paying a premium because there’s no fixed agreement in place.

If you can’t find a paper bill, log into your online account and download the latest invoice. If you don’t have an online account set up, a quick call or email to your supplier’s business team will get you a copy.

The tariff name tells you where you stand. If it’s anything other than a named fixed deal with a clear end date, you’re paying more than you need to be.

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Check If You Ever Signed a Contract

This is the simplest diagnostic. If you moved into your premises and never arranged an energy deal yourself, you’re on deemed rates. The previous tenant’s supplier continued providing energy to the property, and because you didn’t sign an agreement with them, they put you on their default tariff.

If you did sign a deal at some point, think about when. Most fixed contracts run for one to three years. If you can’t find any record of a renewal or a new agreement in your emails from the past couple of years, your fixed rates have probably lapsed. When that happens, the supplier moves you onto their default pricing automatically.

The distinction between “deemed” and “out of contract” matters slightly in a legal sense, but the impact on your bill is similar. Both are significantly more expensive than a negotiated fixed deal. Our deemed contracts guide explains the difference in more detail if you want to check which one applies to you.

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Contact Your Supplier Directly

If the bill isn’t clear, or you can’t find one, ring your supplier’s business energy team and ask them directly. Three questions will give you everything you need:

What tariff am I on? Am I currently under a contract? And when does my current arrangement end?

If the answer is that you’re not under a contract, or you’re on a rolling monthly arrangement, you’re paying deemed or out-of-contract prices.

Before you call, have your meter numbers ready. For electricity, that’s your MPAN. For gas, your MPRN. These are unique to your property and help the supplier find your account quickly. They’re usually printed on your bill, often on the back page or in a small reference box. If you can’t find them, our MPAN and MPRN lookup guide explains where else to look.

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What to Do If You’re on Deemed Rates

Good news first: there are no exit fees on a deemed contract. No notice period beyond the standard 28 days. No penalty for leaving. You can start looking for a fixed deal immediately.

You’ll need those meter numbers (MPAN and MPRN) to get accurate quotes. Once you’ve got them, you can compare fixed deals from your current supplier or any other supplier on the market. The price difference between deemed rates and a fixed contract is usually substantial enough that the comparison speaks for itself.

If you want supplier-specific guidance on what to expect, we’ve got dedicated pages for EDF deemed rates, British Gas deemed rates, SSE deemed rates, and E.ON deemed rates.

When you’re ready to see what’s available, you can compare business energy prices and get quotes based on your actual meter and usage profile. The switch itself is administrative, handled by your new supplier, and your energy supply isn’t interrupted during the process.

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Key Takeaways

✓ Check your latest bill for terms like “deemed”, “default”, or “standard variable” to identify your tariff

✓ If you moved into premises without signing an energy deal, you’re almost certainly on deemed rates

✓ If a previous fixed contract expired without renewal, you’ve likely been moved onto default pricing

✓ Contact your supplier’s business team with your MPAN or MPRN to confirm your contract status

✓ Deemed rates have no exit fees, so you can switch to a fixed deal straight away

✓ The price gap between deemed rates and a fixed contract is significant, making it worth checking even if you’re not sure

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