In the face of rising operational costs and economic uncertainty, the hospitality industry is discovering a new way to recover lost revenue.
Thanks to our work at Business Energy Claims, hotels across the country are claiming back £1,000s in refunds from energy brokers who embedded undisclosed fees into their contracts.
The Hidden Cost of Energy Contracts
With energy bills forecasted to rise again in late 2025 and into 2026, businesses that already operate on tight margins are facing even greater financial pressure.
Many have turned to energy brokers for help, trusting them to secure the best deals. But behind the scenes, brokers were embedding secret commissions into contracts, inflating costs and draining profits.
The Hospitality Industry Fighting Back
The School House B&B: A Landmark Win
One of the most compelling success stories comes from The School House B&B in Shropshire, who successfully reclaimed 100% of its hidden commissions, plus additional compensation, after being mis-sold an energy contract.
David Wright, Owner of The School House B&B, approached Business Energy Claims after an energy broker recommended and secured a 3-year electricity contract, claiming it was the best deal available. In reality, the rates were nearly 35% higher than what could have been secured elsewhere.
Business Energy Claims reviewed the contracts, gathered evidence and worked closely alongside a panel law firm to initiate legal proceedings, resulting in a full recovery of hidden commissions and damages for misrepresentation.
Callum Thompson, Director of Business Energy Claims, commented “This is an unregulated industry and it is pleasing to be able to assist clients like The School House B&B. We’ve helped many others that we are working with to offer this kind of redress.”
Sheepfold B&B: Exposing Broker Misconduct
Another example of hotel success comes from Sheepfold B&B in Chipping Norton, where the client discovered they had been mis-sold energy contracts by another broker who embedded hidden commissions without their knowledge.
The broker had recommended unnecessarily long-term contracts, claiming the rates were competitive. However, it was later revealed that the rates were 32% higher than what could have been secured had the broker properly searched the market.
Sheepfold B&B achieved a strong outcome, recovering 100% of the hidden commissions along with additional compensation for the broker’s misrepresentations.
No1 The Laurels: A Wake-Up Call for Business Owners
In West Sussex, No1 The Laurels B&B joined the growing list of hospitality businesses reclaiming thousands of pounds after being mis-sold energy contracts by a broker.
B&B owner, Malcolm Harrington contacted Business Energy Claims to investigate whether his business had been mis-sold to. The broker, Energy Prices Direct, had arranged two gas contracts, claiming to offer a good deal, but once again they failed to disclose any commissions.
The energy and legal experts revealed that substantial hidden commissions had been added to the contracts and with the help of our legal partners, we successfully recovered the full amount for the No1 The Laurels B&B.
Mr Harrington, said “We are delighted to have won the claim against our broker and recovered such a significant amount of money, especially in these challenging times for everyone in the industry.
“We had read an article about Business Energy Claims in a magazine and decided to reach out to them to see if we had a claim, and they did the rest on our behalf.
“While we were pleased to win the claim and recover the money, it was hugely disappointing to hear that commissions had been added without being disclosed to us, and highlights the need for businesses across the UK to get on top of this issue.
“We are massively grateful to the team at Business Energy Claims for all of the help they have provided and we would encourage companies across the country to get in touch with them and see if they have a claim.”
Why Hotels Should Act Now
The success stories go beyond financial recovery, they’re a wake-up call for the hospitality industry. The opportunity to reclaim lost energy costs is real, but it won’t last forever.
The window for submitting claims is closing fast and delays could mean missing out on substantial refunds.
Take back control of your energy costs, start your claim with Business Energy Claims today.