The gas supply market is currently in a state of change.

As a consumer I have been bombarded in the post, on TV, in the newspapers by offers to change my supplier and receive a range of benefits.

For the consumer this is confusing but also something which you have to think seriously about, particularly if one of the benefits is financial, that is, lower bills.

As a small business, where cash flow is often a constant worry, it is even more important that every opportunity is taken to reduce unnecessary expenditure.

However, how can the small business ensure that it is properly informed about both the pros and cons of this sort of decision? What seems like a good idea in the short term can be a headache in the long term.

To help small companies find their way through the various gas supply options, and following research undertaken with the Federation of Small Businesses, the Gas Consumers Council has published a helpful booklet. Entitled Guide to problems and solutions for small businesses in gas supply", this leaflet looks at why SMEs face particular problems. It sets out 13 golden rules for managing supply contracts.

The leaflet sets out objectively the sort of problems SMEs can face. By highlighting these here, readers can see in advance where they will need to take extra care and avoid the problems in their own case. It looks at the importance of keeping records, and give contact details of organisations that may be able to help if problems do occur.

This short guide has no axe to grind and equally no product to sell; it is simply an overview of the process, and a guide to avoiding the pitfalls.

Paul Twiddy is information manager at Business Link Bradford & District.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.