FAQs

Email publicsector@business-stream.co.uk and we'll reissue it.

If you have signed an agency agreement with Scottish Procurement, we’ll have sent you a welcome email which includes a Welcome Booklet which explains how to transfer. If you're still unclear, send an email with your questions to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk If you haven't received your Welcome Booklet, let us know, and we'll reissue it.

Your Welcome Booklet and our dedicated Public Sector Scotland web pages explain the framework. If there’s something you’d like to know that isn’t covered here then send an email with your questions to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk

We'll liaise with the outgoing retailer and Scottish Water to manage any inflight wholesaler related enquiries to make your transfer as smooth as possible.

However, we can't resolve existing contractual or debt issues with the outgoing retailer, so please address any outstanding issues as soon as possible to avoid delay to your transfer.

We’ll open all accounts  using an estimated or AMR read (if available). We'll then obtain an actual read for all sites (where access is provided) within 45 days. If it looks like the estimated transfer read wasn't correct, we'll update it to ensure all sites open accurately. The outgoing retailer will also use this transfer read for your final bills. To maximise the number of actual reads, please tell us about any special meter reading requirements (such as restricted access times). There is space on your Site List to provide this information.

Where you have an AMR onsite, we can use this to record your transfer read. You can permit us to access your AMR by noting it on your Site List.

Please tell us about any special arrangements on your Site List. 

We'll keep the primary contact up to date on progress throughout the transfer process. Please ensure that you complete and return the Options Form with your appointed primary contact’s details.

There's no need for you to sign a supply contract as Scottish Procurement have already done this on your behalf. You do, however, need to sign an agency agreement with Scottish Procurement. Please contact Scottish Procurement directly to arrange this. Once you’ve done this, we’ll be in touch with your welcome email.

We'll work with your outgoing retailer to ensure a smooth transition. Other retailers will reject site transfers where the debt is older than 90 days. However, they will inform you in advance where there may be a problem and work with you to ensure that historical debt is cleared. Current balances will not transfer - all sites transferred will start from a zero debt position from the transfer date. Payment terms are 30 days as per the framework agreement.

Please advise Business Stream as soon as possible once an issue has been resolved, and we'll make the necessary arrangements. We plan to transfer Public Sector Scotland customers on the 1st of the month; this keeps billing clean and straightforward and will ensure you receive a full calendar bill when you transfer.

Organisations should be aware of deregistered SPIDs and should no longer be receiving a bill for them. The provider should have notified the customer when the SPID was removed from the market. 

Meter read challenges will be looked at on a case by case basis. We'll do a check read as soon as possible post transfer that will enable us to check the accuracy of the transfer read. We have been working closely with outgoing retailers to ensure that all reads are as accurate as possible.

We'll be closing down any current Business Stream accounts and creating new ones so you receive the appropriate tariff. These new accounts will be grouped with any new sites we're transferring as per the data you provided on your options forms and site lists. 

Amend the site list along with your Options Form and return it to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk The Options Form includes instructions on how to flag errors or omissions.

You’ll have access to our Public Sector Scotland package only available to organisations via the Scottish Procurement Framework including:

• Simple billing and easy payment methods – you choose the methods that are best for you
• Intelligent water management – a proactive consumption and cost management service to help you identify savings opportunities and manage consumption
• Daily Dashboard – a clever interactive 360-degree of all aspects of your account available via My Business Stream
• Account manager – to support your technical and contractual needs throughout the contract; they'll also conduct your account reviews and ensure that you're maximising the benefits available to you through the framework
• Framework manager – responsible for the smooth running of all aspects of the contract and on hand to offer you additional support as required
• Dedicated Public Sector Scotland Customer Service Team – public sector specialists focused on keeping your sites operational and giving water efficiency and consumption advice
• My Business Stream – our 24/7 online account management portal that lets you access information and service your account when it’s convenient for you
• Site changes at any time – add, remove and amend as required
• Free Connections Assistance Service - new connections and disconnections help when you need it
• Water consumption and cost reporting – all the reporting you need to improve your efficiency, consumption and drive down costs
• 24/7 emergency support – immediate assistance no matter where you are or what time it is
• Free AMR on meters 50mm or above – automatically qualify for free AMR through the framework
• Trade effluent management and risk control – we’ll review your TE sites when you join us and help you manage them throughout your contract
• Flexible funding options – giving you the financial boost you may need to invest in the technology that will make you more water-efficient
• Annual water efficiency fund – special grants for ad hoc water efficiency projects

You can find out more information about Business Stream on our About Us page, or speak to your Account Manager.

We offer a range of ancillary services many of which can support water efficiency. We have a section on the Public Sector Scotland webpages dedicated to water efficiency services. 

Your Welcome Booklet and our dedicated Public Sector Scotland web pages explain the framework. If there’s something you’d like to know that isn’t covered here then send an email to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk or speak to your Account Manager.

During transition you can update site changes using the Options Form. Post transition you can do this on My Business Stream, our online account management portal.

We’ve developed an end-to-end Connections Assistance Service to make managing new connections and disconnections effortless. This service is included free of charge under this framework.

To find out more or request a new connection or disconnection, visit our New Connections page, or email newconnection@business-stream.co.uk. You don’t need to wait until you transfer – you can apply for a new connection with us now.

Online interactive reports offer you visibility of your water consumption, costs and carbon emissions. You can access your reports via your My Business Stream account. You’ll also get our innovative Daily Dashboard, offering you a 360° view of all aspects of your account including open enquiries, KPI performance, site lists, meter reading, costs and consumption tracking and forecasting. All reports are available in an interactive format, with PDF, CSV and XLS download options. If you need an update to any of the standard reports listed, we’ll provide these within five business days.

If you have questions about reporting, or additional data or reporting requirements, either complete the request form on My Business Stream or contact your Account Manager. We’ll usually provide bespoke reports within five business days. We may need a little longer for complex requests; in this case, we’ll let you know of timescales.

Yes, we’ll continue to liaise with Scottish Water on your behalf and keep you informed of query progress as appropriate.

Yes, we can. We’ll review your TE sites when you join us and help you manage them throughout your contract. We’ll undertake an annual Trade Effluent review to ensure everything’s on track. You’ll also be able to access your annual Trade Effluent charge letter via My Business Stream.

Our dedicated Trade Effluent team provide support on all aspects of trade effluent as part of our core service. This support includes the basis of charging (split Mogden formula), consent and billing enquiries. Where we believe there’s an opportunity to change an agreed consent or deliver greater efficiency, we’ll collaborate with you and provide advice and support required.

Ask your account manager for more information or complete an enquiry form.

We'll allocate your Account Manager at the same time as issuing your Welcome email.

Your Account Manager will then be in touch to introduce themselves and your case owner, and to agree on a timetable of regular meetings and operational reviews. They’ll also discuss your management information and reporting requirements in more detail at this time.

Through the framework you’ll automatically qualify for free AMR for all meters 50mm (chargeable meter size) or more. If you already have an AMR on a 50mm and above site, you can choose to either:

Keep your existing AMR – if you choose this option, we’ll apply a £20 credit to your bill every month. Once the existing AMR fails, we’ll replace the AMR with one of our new ones and remove the credit arrangement from your account.
OR

Replace your AMR - we’ll tell you if you’d benefit from upgrading your AMRs and if you agree to it, we’ll remove and dispose of your existing AMRs and replace it with a new Business Stream AMRs. Please note any arrangements you have with a third-party AMR provider will not be affected.

Under the Scottish Procurement Framework, you’ll receive our Intelligent Water Management (IWM) service free of charge. This proactive consumption and cost management service will enable you to identify saving opportunities and manage consumption quickly and easily every month.

You’ll receive a monthly IWM report via my Business Stream and also high consumption alerts where your consumption is higher than expected. Our water data analyst will review this report along with your AMR data monthly to identify any possible savings and will work with your Account Manager to develop your water efficiency action plan.

Ask your account manager for more information.

We'll include these in your Site List. We'll then close these accounts and transfer them to your new contract, to keep your accounts grouped in one place. We'll provide you with a list of your new account numbers once we've set your sites up in our billing system.

Yes, you can.  To ensure we offer best in class compatibility for all customers, we consulted with a selection of M&T providers including TEAM, Schneider, SystemsLink, and Optima to confirm that our invoice outputs are compatible with their systems.

If you currently work with an M&T provider not listed above, then please add the name of your provider on the Options Form, and we’ll contact them with a copy of a sample bill run to help ensure they’re ready to process your new bill.

Before we can work with your M&T provider, we need your permission to do so. Please download and complete the Letter of Authority form and return it along with your Site List and Options Form.

Invites are sent to all primary contacts. If you aren't a primary contact but were forwarded an invite by a colleague, then please email publicsector@business-stream.co.uk to be added to the distribution list.

Your current Wave account manager will move with you to Business Stream and will retain the same telephone number.

The email address to use going forward for all enquiries is publicsector@business-stream.co.uk. Please send any questions you have to this address and your case owner will contact you. 

You have a dedicated Case Owner and Account Manager, however we ask that you contact the central mailbox to ensure any enquiries are picked up and dealt with if either are absent.

Business Stream will read your meters as per the market code - basically 80mm and above will be read monthly and all other sites will be read twice yearly. It is our responsibility to read the meter but your responsibility to ensure access. 

We will require a letter of authority from you to discuss your account with another company. Please complete the Letter of Authority form
and send it to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk

Your Welcome Booklet explains the different billing formats available.

Our standard billing format is monthly calendar consolidated eBilling. You'll receive a single monthly consolidated statement in a PDF format and separate individual invoices for each account. You'll also receive a detailed monthly consolidated breakdown in several formats including EDI Tradacoms, XLS or CSV. For faster processing, all bills have an easy to read layout and itemised line items for each charge type. eBilling via our online account management portal, My Business Stream, is provided as standard.

Your monthly consolidated bill will include all sites. Unmetered and vacant sites will be billed monthly in advance and metered sites will be billed monthly in arrears. If you choose three-monthly payment in advance, you’ll receive an estimate based on your annualised revenue for the year; this will allow us to invoice you in advance at the start of each quarter. We will use AMR and customer own reads for billing purposes where they’re available.

If you need an alternative billing set-up, just let us know on your Options Form. Alternatively contact your Account Manager at any point during the framework and we’ll arrange a suitable alternative, such as paper bills, single site bills, or quarterly billing

If there’s anything that you’re unclear of then please send an email to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk

Direct Debit and BACs offer you fast, convenient payment processing. Let us know which one you prefer on your Options Form. If you choose Direct Debit, we’ll send you a Direct Debit form. Please complete and return it to us.

Please use the following bank details to set up BACS payments:

Sort code: 30-00-02

Account number: 03-02-99-19

Account name: Business Stream

You can help us process your payment correctly by including your account number and address on payment remittances. To ensure we receive your remittance, please send it to cashiers@business-stream.co.uk or contact your Case Owner.

You can save even more money by choosing one of the additional discounts we offer for payment in advance or by paying a deposit, as highlighted in the table below. These discounts are equivalent to very favourable bank interest rates. We offer two options.

Three-month deposit - You pay a deposit upfront equivalent to your estimated bill for three months. We hold this deposit and then invoice you monthly in arrears for water and waste water services, as normal. The deposit will be returned at the end of the contract period or at the end of your financial year if required. This option provides the highest discount and minimises administration required by you.
Three-month payment in advance - We estimate your bill for three months and invoice you for that amount in advance. Monthly bills will be raised as usual but will be netted off against the advance payment amount. Every three months a reconciliation will be carried out and a further advance payment will be required. Please note that delays in receipt of advance payments would result in discounts being removed.
Payment option

Additional discount

Cash in bank interest rate equivalent

Three-month deposit

0.70%

3%

Three-month payment in advance

0.45%

2%

PIA discounts are fixed for the first year of the contract – and we’ll let you know if they change due to interest rate changes in future years. You can change your PIA option annually during the framework. Payment terms for all options are 30 days from the date of invoice.

Please note that due to changes to market rules proposed by the regulator WICS, retailers can no longer offer 12-month payment in advance. A separate communication detailing charge information will be issued soon.

You can save even more money by choosing one of the additional discounts we offer for payment in advance or by paying a deposit, as highlighted in the table below. These discounts are equivalent to very favourable bank interest rates. We offer two options.

Three-month deposit - You pay a deposit upfront equivalent to your estimated bill for three months. We hold this deposit and then invoice you monthly in arrears for water and waste water services, as normal. The deposit will be returned at the end of the contract period or at the end of your financial year if required. This option provides the highest discount and minimises administration required by you.
Three-month payment in advance - We estimate your bill for three months and invoice you for that amount in advance. Monthly bills will be raised as usual but will be netted off against the advance payment amount. Every three months a reconciliation will be carried out and a further advance payment will be required. Please note that delays in receipt of advance payments would result in discounts being removed.
Payment option

Additional discount

Cash in bank interest rate equivalent

Three-month deposit

0.70%

3%

Three-month payment in advance

0.45%

2%

PIA discounts are fixed for the first year of the contract – and we’ll let you know if they change due to interest rate changes in future years. You can change your PIA option annually during the framework. Payment terms for all options are 30 days from the date of invoice.

Please note that due to changes to market rules proposed by the regulator WICS, retailers can no longer offer 12-month payment in advance.

If you want details of the exact tariff please contact your Account Manager.

To ensure we offer best in class compatibility for all customers, we consulted with a selection of M&T providers including TEAM, Schneider, SystemsLink, and Optima to confirm that our invoice outputs are compatible with their systems.

If you currently work with an M&T provider not listed above, then please add the name of your provider on the Options Form, and we’ll contact them with a copy of a sample bill run to help ensure they’re ready to process your new bill.

Before we can work with your M&T provider, we need your permission to do so. Please download and complete the Letter of Authority form and return it along with your Site List and Options Form.

We do take meter read photos but they are for validation purposes only. We tend to not share these with customers and only use them when there is a challenge or issue with the read.

We can provide an overview for your organisation. Please send a request to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk and this will be created for you.

We can provide you with an estimated overview of your total costs. Please send a request to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk

If it transpires, following an actual read, that the estimated transfer read is significantly over or under estimated transfer read Business Stream will work with Wave to update the transfer read and rebill. This will only be done where there is a material impact to avoid the confusion of rebilling.

We will open your accounts on the same read Wave closed their accounts on. All of these have been agreed and validated by Business Stream. 

The deposit option is the best opportunity to maximise your savings.  You will be invoiced monthly and are required to pay month as per the normal billed process.  The deposit will be held against the account for 12 months. At the end of the year  it can be refunded or rolled over to the following year. To ensure you access the maximum discount the funds must be kept in full on the account for the full 12 months. If you want any more information on this option please contact your account manager.

We will take your direct debit payments around 21st of each month.

Due to COVID-19 all meter reading is currently paused. Once the government advice is updated and it is safe to do so we will resume reading meters. We'll be in touch to confirm when this is due to happen and liaise with public bodies on closures.

Please provide site-specific access arrangements so that we can inform our meter reading partners. These details were requested as part of your Site List requirements, but if you weren't able to include them please email the details to publicsector@business-stream.co.uk 

We'll advise you as soon as we receive the reports from our meter reading partner.

You have 24/7 access to our free of charge emergency support; you can access this by calling 0330 123 2100 (select extension 201). The Account Manager on duty will provide advice and services to assist with issues, whether on your network or involving Scottish Water. This service is available regardless of whether the site is sensitive or non-sensitive.

Emergency Planning for sensitive sites is a core Framework service; if a non-sensitive site requires an emergency plan, we can provide one for an additional charge. Your dedicated Public Sector Scotland Emergency Planning Co-ordinator will work with your Account Manager and you to develop one to meet your requirements.

All emergency plans are accessible on My Business Stream.

If your sites are classified as sensitive by the market codes or by Scottish Water, our Emergency Planning Coordinator will contact you following your transfer. We’ll review and update your existing plans – if you don’t have plans in place, we’ll create these with you. You’ll benefit from a free yearly review throughout the framework.

To ensure the service is maintained and to reduce risk to you, we’ll work with you and other stakeholders to ensure that all emergency plans are transferred over in time for the framework start date.

If your site isn’t classified as sensitive by Scottish Water, we can provide a contingency plan (very similar to an emergency plan just for non-sensitive sites). Your Account Manager or Case Owner can assist you with this.

My Business Stream is our online account management portal that lets you access management information and service your account when it’s convenient for you. You can also access your bills, site lists, meter reads along with our Intelligent Water Management monthly reports. Your Account Manager can take you through it if you wish - just get in touch with them.

You can use My Business Stream, our online account management portal, to access management information and service your account when it’s convenient for you. You can raise enquiries and complaints if necessary. Live Chat is also available Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm.

You wil be able to view the meter details of each sit under the ' My Sites' section of My Business Stream. Additionally you can download your meter details in Excel format.

You can search My Business Stream by SPID.

All open and closed cases are shown with all closed cases retained.

Your dedicated Case Owner will proactively contact you regularly with updates on your cases to ensure you do not need to contact us for updates. Updates will also be available on My Business Stream.

On My Business Stream when you click into a case you will see the comments and details of progress.

You can have as many log-ins as required for My Business Stream. Please contact us via the public sector mailbox if you wish more log-ins.

All reports are available on My Business Stream as per the reporting schedule. Most reports are monthly and are available on the first of the month. One exception is the Daily Dashboard which is updated over night every day which provides an overview of all aspects of your account including sites, enquiries, consumption and meter read performance. If you want any additional reports please either complete the request form on My Business Stream or contact your account manager.

You can see summary case information in the Daily Dashboard or details of all cases in My Business Stream. Performance against cases is recorded in the monthly KPI report.

Through the framework you’ll automatically qualify for free AMR for all meters 50mm (chargeable meter size) or more. If you already have an AMR on a 50mm and above site, you can choose to:

• Keep your existing AMR – if you choose this option, we’ll apply a £20 credit to your bill every month. Once the existing AMR fails, we’ll replace it with one of our new ones and remove the credit arrangement from your account
• Replace your AMR – we’ll tell you if you’d benefit from upgrading your AMRs and if you agree to it, we’ll remove and dispose of your existing AMRs and replace it with a new Business Stream AMRs. Please note any arrangements you have with a third-party AMR provider will not be affected.

When you submit your Options Form our AMR team will be in touch with your named AMR contact with a proposed approach, agree what works best for you and to make arrangements for installation.

If you’d like AMR for smaller meters you can complete an ancillary services request on My Business Stream to receive a bespoke proposal based on agreed Framework pricing.

Through the framework, you’ll automatically qualify for free AMR for all meters 50mm (chargeable meter size) or more. If you are eligible for free AMR, our AMR manager will be in touch to arrange installation once you have submitted your Options Form.

If you’d like AMR for meters below 50mm, you can complete an ancillary services request on My Business Stream to receive a bespoke proposal based on agreed Framework pricing. Where there is an AMR on a meter, we’ll bill using an AMR read monthly to help ensure accurate billing. You can do this at any time during the framework, ask your account manager for more information or complete an enquiry form.

Automated Meter Readers (AMR) give you more accurate billing by reducing estimated reads and the need for site visits by automatically taking the read and sending the information to us.We then use this data to calculate your bills based on actual consumption. They also capture water use every 15 minutes so leaks and high consumption can be identfied quickly and easily. 

If you’d like AMR for meters below 50mm, you can complete an ancillary services request on My Business Stream to receive a bespoke proposal based on agreed Framework pricing. Where there is an AMR on a meter, we’ll bill using an AMR read monthly to help ensure accurate billing.

Ask your account manager for more information or complete an enquiry form.

Under the framework agreement all sites with a 50mm meter and above will receive AMR free of charge. If you have AMR on a 50mm and above meter that you pay for and it isn't provided free of charge under the current framework you have two options:

- Keep your existing AMR – if you choose this option, we’ll apply a £20 credit to your bill every month. Once the existing AMR fails, we’ll replace the AMR with one of our new ones and remove the credit arrangement from your account.

OR

- Replace your AMR - we’ll tell you if you’d benefit from upgrading your AMRs and if you agree to it, we’ll remove and dispose of your existing AMRs and replace it with a new Business Stream AMRs. Please note any arrangements you have with a third-party AMR provider will not be affected.

Please contact publicsector@business-stream.co.uk for more information.

If you would like AMR on a site with a meter size below 50mm please get in touch and we can arrange a quote. As a framework customer you will benefit from a 10% discount on all ancillary charge rates.

Yes, we have experience of dealing with a number of M&T providers and the various data formats required. Our preferred transmission is a monthly index read, in line with your billing. Our AMR team will be in touch with your named AMR contact to discuss options.

There will be minimal disruption to services as the intention is to remove and replace the existing loggers in a single visit. On the assumption we are granted permission by you (via the Options Form) to access your historical AMR data from Wave, we will populate this into our AMR portal and append the new logger feed to this historic information going forward.

If you've provided us with permission to obtain access to your old historic AMR data from your current provider, all historic AMR data will be uploaded into our AMR portal.  If you haven't provided us with permission, then please email (publicsector@business-stream.co.uk) us as soon as possible confirming your authorisation. 

The team are arranging access to the AMR portal and will be in touch in due course to issue logins. Where an AMR read is used for billing purposes this will be accessible in My Business Stream as well.

Please contact your Account Manager to discuss added value services and our ancillary services rate card. The welcome pack contains a list of all added value services we can provide under the framework.

You can submit a sub meter reading by emailing publicsector@business-stream.co.uk. Please include your customer reference number as included on your bill, your meter serial number and the date you took the reading.You can submit a sub meter reading by emailing publicsector@business-stream.co.uk. Please include your customer reference number as included on your bill, your meter serial number and the date you took the reading.

You can provide a sub meter reading as frequently as you like - the more regularly you provide a reading, the more accurate your bills will be. You may wish to send a reading monthly, quarterly, every six months, or annually.

We require you to provide a sub meter reading no earlier than the 2nd of the month and no later than the 20th of the month. This means your up-to-date consumption will be reflected in your next bill.

Sub meters will be billed on an estimate to the last day of the month. The estimation will be based on an average daily consumption of 0. This means that the estimated read will be the same as the read provided.

For example, you may take a sub meter reading of ‘2222’ on 10 April and send it by 20 April.

The main market meter will be billed on an estimate up to 30 April as normal, using a meter reading within the month, where available. Sub meters will be billed up to 10 April on a read of ‘2222’. The billed estimated read on 30 April will be ‘2222’.

We require actual meter readings from your sub meter to maintain billing accuracy.

We will bill sub meter consumption using the most recent meter reading in your current bill. We won’t credit and rebill as standard.

Sub meter readings need to be taken in the same calendar month as the bill month, in order to reflect your latest consumption.

If your meter has Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) installed or your meter size is 80mm or above, we’ll already be collecting your monthly readings and there is no need for you to send us these meter readings.

No. We can use the AMR readings to ensure your bills are accurate.

To discuss this, please contact your Business Stream Account Manager.

Access to sub meters is now difficult under current COVID-19 restrictions and for this reason, we’re asking customers to submit meter readings instead.

We’re unable to calculate estimates for sub meters. This is because sub meters don’t follow the same monthly billing process as main meters because they are domestic non market meters. Actual readings would be greatly appreciated.

If you are unsure about the location of your sub meter(s), please email us at publicsector@business-stream.co.uk and our dedicated team will be happy to help.

If we don’t receive a meter reading from you, we’ll be required to issue your bills using meter readings available in the market database held by the Central Market Agency (CMA).

When we bill your main market meter, we use sub meter readings to bill negative consumption, so that sub meter consumption is deducted from your bill.