Do business energy contracts auto-renew?
Some do. A rollover clause lets the supplier put you onto a further fixed term at a rate you did not negotiate if you have not served notice. Micro businesses have extra protection — the supplier must tell you your contract end date and your switching options, and cannot require more than 30 days' notice — but the protection only works if you act on the notice.
Last reviewed 2 September 2026 by Utilities Made Simple · independent, whole-of-market, supplier-paid — how we are paid
Rollover, renewal and out-of-contract are three different things
| What happens | What it means | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Rollover | A new fixed term you did not negotiate, often 12 months | Well above a priced contract, and you are locked in again |
| Renewal offer | The supplier's own price for the next term, which you accept or decline | Sometimes competitive, usually not the best available |
| Out of contract | No contract at all — the supplier's default variable rate | Commonly 35–45p per kWh |
What suppliers must do for micro businesses
Your contract end date and the date by which you need to give notice must be on your bill or statement. Renewal letters have to show your current prices, the new prices and your annual consumption, so you can compare like for like. And the maximum notice period a supplier can require is 30 days.
How to stop it happening
- Serve notice as soon as you are allowed to. Serving notice does not commit you to leaving; it simply removes the supplier's ability to roll you over. You can still renew with them if their price wins.
- Diarise the date, not the month. Most rollovers happen because the reminder was mental rather than in a calendar.
- Ask for the renewal in writing and price it against the market before it lapses — the current market band for new SME fixed electricity is 22–30p per kWh.
If you have already been rolled over, see can I cancel a rollover contract?
Ask an energy specialist
If your question is not answered above, send it to us. A specialist answers personally, normally within one working day. No sales call, no obligation — and if the answer is "your deal is fine", that is what you will get.
Want this checked against your own bill?
Email a recent bill to info@utilitiesms.co.uk and a specialist will check your rates, VAT, levies and contract end date against the live market — free, usually the same working day. If your deal is already good, we will tell you to keep it.