A butcher who was handed a £5,113 energy bill last month says the "astronomical" prices aren't sustainable for any businesses.
Griffins Butchers in Staffordshire, near Stoke-on-Trent, had been searching for a new provider after nationwide increases meant he would be paying £700 a month to BES Utilities - but it all went wrong.
Owner Nick Griffin, 35, had agreed a new contract with ScottishPower, which fell through at the last minute due to a "technical issue".
Without a contract in place with either provider Mr Griffin, who is from the market town and run the shop for the past seven years, was slapped with an eye-watering £5,113 monthly bill for his unit in Adies Alley.
Mr Griffin says the costly mix-up only adds to his worries given the cost of living crisis, StokeonTrentLive reports.
He said: "I was with BES Utilities and my bills have rocketed in the last year up to £600 or £700. Now I've had a bill for £5,813 - and shocked is an understatement.
“The reason for that is that I was out of contract with BES. ScottishPower, which I have agreed a contract with, hasn't gone live because of a ‘technical issue’ so BES has charged me a different amount.
"We have got that on top of rising costs of supply. It has all come at once."
"I am hoping that the costs will go down. We have tried to cut down on cooking time. Just a bit of support or a bit of guidance would be nice.
“It seems to be a national problem. It’s not sustainable at these prices. The price is astronomical. There seems to no cap on what they can charge businesses. We want to thank our customers for their support.”
ScottishPower were approached for comment, but didn't response, while BES Utilities explained Mr Griffin no longer has a fixed-price contract with them which has resulted in the higher bill.
A BES Utilities spokesman said: "Because Mr Griffin is currently out of contract, he is free to choose a new supplier at any time, meaning we have no choice but to purchase the energy to supply his business on the short-term market.
"This is always more expensive, and especially so at the moment, due to the unprecedented and ongoing rise in wholesale costs.
"Having been through the renewal process, Mr Griffin was aware of the increase in his prices if he did not agree a new contract with us, or switch to a new supplier.
"Despite this, we are sensitive to the financial impact on Mr Griffin’s business and, as a goodwill gesture, we have offered him a discount on his final bill, once his chosen supplier takes over his account.”
