BUSINESSES need to be cautious when it comes to choosing their energy contracts or they could end up ‘throwing away’ their cash, a leading broker has warned.

Danielle Fish, director of energy broker Every Aspect, Appleby Business Centre, Blackburn, said that businesses were often unaware of the contracts and options available to them.

The last 12 months has seen unprecedented rises in energy costs which have put increased pressure on small and large companies alike.

And new figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development statistics showed gas and electricity bills rose 29.7 per cent in the past year in the UK compared with 15 per cent in the EU.

Danielle said: “One of the biggest mistakes companies make is being on an estimated billing system. They should avoid these and always try to give individual metre readings.

“It’s like a small shop that one year might have a freezer installed and then gets rid of it. The energy company might still be taking that into account when they are estimating their bill which would be wrong and something that could cost them financially.”

Established in 2005 by Danielle and partner Paul Leech, Every Aspect works like an insurance broker to find the company the right energy contract. It has recently been awarded Premier Broker status by British Gas and is one of only 20 companies in the UK to achieve this status.

The company aims to build on this and is looking to expand in to Preston and increase its employee base from its current 12 staff members.

It is also planning to launch a free workshop service.

“We want to let people know that we are here to help people and get away from the negative image people sometimes have of the energy industry.”