You can't often get money out of a meter but now, if you are a managing agent, you can. Specialist utility provider, Spark Energy, says it aims to remove the hassles associated with managing tenant utilities, while earning commission for each property converted to Spark.

Spark offers £45 commission for each property converted to their service - £ 10 is paid upfront, followed by three further payments of £15 at the 12 month and £10 at the 2k and 36 month milestones. The energy provider takes care of all the admin involved in change of tenancy on behalf of its agent partners, from ensuring accurate meter readings to handling the transition process. A dedicated Partner Manager is allocated to each management company, instead of a helpline.

Spark is also installing Smart Meters into all customer properties. This technology ensures accurate bills, no requirement for physical exit or entry meter readings, a reduction in the occurrence of unpaid tenant bills and improved operational efficiency.

PJ Darling, Chief Executive, Spark Energy, says, "From September, every time one of our partners' properties becomes void between tenancies, in addition to being switched to Spark, a Smart Meter will be installed to allow energy usage to be read remotely, streamlining operations. New tenants will then be contacted on their move-in date and informed about the service. From a consumer perspective, the Spark tariff is guaranteed to be below the average of the 'Big 6' suppliers' standard rates for dual fuel. In addition, the Smart Meters will allow residents to monitor the amount of energy they are using on a daily basis, lowering their carbon footprint and the household bills, and remove the hassle associated with physical visits from meter readers."
 

Spark is currently working with 219 partners, representing 86,000 properties across the UK. Current partners include Touchstone, Jordans and Ludlow Thompson. New tenants do not have to keep Spark Energy as their utility provider.

PROPERTYdrum Magazine, September 2009

www.propertydrum.com/articles/sparkenergysept

provider, www.