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BES Utilities logo (now trading as Ruby Energy)
UK business energy supplier

BES Utilities business

Tariffs, customer service, contract terms and complaints for BES Utilities,a UK business energy supplier regulated by Ofgem.

Free business quote Contact BES (Ruby Energy)
Fleetwood, Lancashire B2B specialist

Fuels

Electricity + gas

Energy types offered

Business sizes

SMEs, microbusinesses and start-ups (including credit-marginal customers other suppliers reject)

Customer segments served

About

Who is BES Utilities?

BES Utilities is the legacy trading name of two Fleetwood-based licensed business-energy suppliers — Business Energy Solutions Ltd and BES Commercial Electricity Ltd — that rebranded to Ruby Energy in August 2024 following the July 2023 fraud conviction of long-standing owner Andrew Pilley. Supply continues under Ruby Electricity Ltd and Ruby Gas Ltd from the same Fleetwood head office, with the historical customer-service number unchanged.

Registered as Business Energy Solutions Ltd & BES Commercial Electricity Ltd (now Ruby Electricity Ltd & Ruby Gas Ltd), BES Utilities uses this legal name for Ofgem licence filings, B2B contracts and any formal communications. The trading name customers see on invoices is the shorter, recognisable form.

The company is headquartered in Fleetwood, Lancashire, where it runs its commercial operations, account management and regulatory liaison with Ofgem.

BES Utilities is part of the Ruby Energy Holdings Ltd group, which provides shared governance, financial backing and a wider pool of expertise in wholesale trading, hedging and regulatory work.

The company is regulated by Ofgem, and complaints fall under the Energy Ombudsman alternative dispute resolution scheme,but only for microbusinesses with under 10 staff and under £2m turnover. Larger I&C customers must take complaints through commercial dispute resolution.

Contracts

BES (Ruby Energy) tariff types

Business energy is priced bespoke to your annual consumption and contract term. The headline contract shapes below are the ones you will see on a BES Utilities quote.

1 to 3 years

Fixed Price (electricity)

  • Unit rate and standing charge locked
  • Insulation from wholesale rises
  • Easier monthly budgeting
  • Optional certified renewable electricity add-on (Scope-2 REGO)

1 to 5 years

Market Tracker (electricity)

  • Variable plan
  • Unit rate reviewed each April and October vs wholesale moves
  • Price can rise, fall or stay flat

1 to 5 years

Fixed Price (gas)

  • Standing charge and unit rate fixed for the contract term
  • Carbon-neutral gas add-on available

1 to 5 years

Variable (gas)

  • Unit rate may change in response to wholesale market shifts

1 to 5 years

Budget Payment Plan (gas)

  • Annual consumption forecast from history
  • Divided into 12 equal monthly direct debits
  • Smooths winter peaks

Review

BES Utilities,pros and cons

A polarised supplier with a polarised past — Ruby Energy still serves the SMEs and credit-marginal start-ups other suppliers turn away, but the 2015-2017 Ofgem case, the 2023 fraud conviction of long-standing owner Andy Pilley and the September 2023 follow-up investigation mean the termination clause matters more here than at most suppliers. Selectra score 2.0 / 5.

Strengths

  • Single Fleetwood point of contact — front-line care team is responsive when contacts go smoothly.
  • Takes on SMEs and credit-marginal start-ups other suppliers reject on credit-score grounds.
  • Carbon-neutral gas and certified renewable electricity add-ons available across the product range.
  • Free smart-meter install for new electricity customers, with manual reads still accepted.

Watch-outs

  • Long regulatory history including 2017 Ofgem £980k redress and a 2023 fraud conviction of the long-standing owner.
  • Contract termination is the single largest complaint category — early exit charges typically equal the remaining contract value.
  • Deemed and out-of-contract rates are quoted on request only — no public price list and historically among the higher end.
  • Reviews are heavily polarised between invited Trustpilot praise and spontaneous Google 1-star complaints.

Renewables

BES Utilities green credentials

Independently certified renewable electricity add-on (solar, wind, landfill gas, biomass) available on both Fixed Price and Market Tracker electricity products, with a Scope-2 certificate. Carbon-neutral gas add-on also available.

Timeline

BES Utilities: key dates

A short timeline of BES Utilities: founding, milestones, regulatory events.

  1. 2015

    Ofgem opens investigation into Standard Licence Condition 7.3 — microbusiness contract clarity and blocked switching probe.

  2. 2017

    Ofgem case closes with £2 nominal fine plus ~£980,000 redress (108 customers wrongly prevented from switching). BES accepts Section 25C / Section 28 binding undertaking on sales practices and complaint handling.

  3. 2023

    May-July: Andrew "Andy" Pilley and three co-defendants convicted of fraud and fraudulent trading at Preston Crown Court following a National Trading Standards prosecution. Pilley sentenced to 13 years in prison and disqualified as a director for 13 years; co-defendants sentenced to between 8 months and 7 years.

  4. 2023

    September: Ofgem opens fresh investigation into BES Commercial Electricity Ltd and Business Energy Solutions Ltd.

  5. 2024

    August: BES Utilities rebrands to Ruby Energy. Licensees renamed Ruby Electricity Ltd and Ruby Gas Ltd; customer portal moves to account.rubyenergy.uk. Phone line and Fleetwood address unchanged.

  6. 2024

    Pilley sells controlling stake in Fleetwood Town Football Club to comply with EFL ownership rules.

Save up to £600 per year
Independent comparison

Is BES (Ruby Energy) the cheapest option for your business?

UK businesses can save up to £600 per year by switching to a supplier whose contract shape fits their actual usage profile. Get a free, no-obligation quote from a Selectra B2B broker in under two minutes.

Get a free business quote

Common questions

BES Utilities,frequently asked questions

BES Utilities is regulated by Ofgem under a non-domestic supply licence. Whether it suits your business depends on your annual consumption, contract term and whether you need extra services (HHM, green certification, smart-meter rollout). Always compare delivered p/kWh including VAT and CCL before signing.

Switching takes between three weeks and two months for a business contract, longer than the domestic five-working-day rule. BES Utilities will run a credit check, request your annual consumption and a recent meter reading, and arrange the transfer with your current supplier. Supply is never interrupted during the switch.

Fixed Price (1-3 yr electricity / 1-5 yr gas), Market Tracker variable (1-5 yr), Budget Payment Plan for gas, plus deemed / out-of-contract

Most UK fixed-term business contracts include termination fees if you switch mid-contract. The supplier must accept your renewal notice in the final 30 to 60 days before the contract end-date (the renewal window varies by supplier and is set out in the original contract). Outside that window you are tied in unless you pay the exit charge.

You can reach BES Utilities on 0344 5678 427, Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5.30pm. Closed weekends and UK public holidays.. For a full breakdown of phone lines (sales, emergency, complaints, meter readings, account moves), see the BES Utilities contact page.

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