Spark becomes first one-stop-shop utility supplier for rental sector
Spark, the only energy company in the UK to specialise in supplying to the rental market, is launching a broadband and calls package exclusively for tenants in a move that will see it become the first utilities one-stop-shop in the rental sector.
Tenants will be able to opt to have all essential services bundled up with one single provider. The unique package allows letting agents to get tenants online within 48 hours of moving in. Contract length will be flexible and related to tenancy duration of six and 12 months with no cancellation fees. In the 2014 Which? Switch energy satisfaction survey Spark ranked above all of the Big Six energy suppliers.
Spark, which has partnered up with HomeTelecom, will work with agents to offer their tenants a no obligation broadband and telephone package, which will not only get tenants online quickly, but at a highly competitive rate which is considerable cheaper than Virgin and BT.
Additional revenue will also be generated by the agent for every tenant successfully signed up. For a letting agent managing 1,000 properties this comes to as much as £24,000 pure profit annually. They will also benefit from no charges during void periods.
Chris Gauld, CEO at Spark, commented: “The vast majority of tenants are young people whose expectations of broadband are very high. Our new offering, working directly with letting agents, will get them online within 48 hours of moving in. Letting agents will also benefit from having the tenant’s essential services bundled with one supplier as well as earning valuable additional revenue.
“This is an opportunity for agents to lead the way and generate additional revenues; the major broadband providers can take a couple of weeks to get tenants online which is not good enough. We need to stop ignoring this growing section of the population – the young renter – and start looking at their needs. Renting is no longer a stepping-stone but a long-term affordable option for many.”
The rates offered by Spark are highly competitive in comparison to the other major broadband providers. On a monthly basis Spark is 18% cheaper than BT and 27% cheaper than Virgin. As part of its model of flexibility, Spark does not charge a cancellation fee. Line rental is £14.50 a month with an £8.50 monthly subscription.
Spark has recently reached its 100,000 customer milestone, proving that it is a strong challenger to the Big Six. The energy supplier has also doubled turnover to close to £90 million in the last 12 months. Spark plans to move into other service areas, including broadband, as part of its continuing growth plans.
Spark is the UK’s only utilities company focused exclusively on supplying gas and electricity to the residential letting sector. Based in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, the company is currently working with the largest letting agents in the UK., Spark currently supply c100,000 properties throughout the UK.
Spark is one of the fastest growing utility companies in the UK, with over 200 staff – 100 of which are based in the customer services department, which is why it came above the big six energy providers in the latest Which? Customer Satisfaction Survey 2013.
Spark was accredited by Ofgem in February 2008 and launched as a domestic supplier in July 2008. For more information, visit www.sparkenergy.co.uk
