What is a Letter of Authority?

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What is a Letter of Authority (LoA) in Business Energy?

At Focus Assured, we support businesses with energy procurement, contract management, and ongoing utility oversight. A key part of this process is the Letter of Authority (LoA) — a simple document that allows us to act on your behalf when dealing with energy suppliers.

If you’re reviewing your business electricity or gas contracts, an LoA enables us to access the right information, engage with suppliers, and present suitable options — while you remain fully in control of all decisions.

What does a Letter of Authority do?

A business energy Letter of Authority gives permission for Focus Assured to carry out specific tasks on your behalf.

Depending on the level of authority you choose, this may include:

Accessing your energy usage and billing data
Contacting your current supplier
Reviewing contract terms and renewal dates
Obtaining pricing options from the market
Supporting negotiations and contract discussions

We can tailor the scope of every LoA to suit your requirements — whether you want initial insight or more hands-on support.

Why is an LoA needed?

Energy suppliers are required to protect customer data and will only share account information with authorised parties. A Letter of Authority provides that permission. Without it, suppliers cannot discuss your account or release details to us.

With an LoA in place, Focus Assured can:

Review your current contract position across your full portfolio
Identify upcoming renewals and key risk points
Obtain accurate supplier pricing and market options
Support a structured and informed procurement approach
Manage and resolve supplier queries on your behalf

This helps ensure your business is making informed decisions based on complete and up-to-date information.

What can a Focus Assured LoA cover?

We believe in a transparent, flexible approach. Your Letter of Authority can be structured to include:

Access to consumption, pricing, contract and supply data
Retrieval of metering and industry database information
Full billing visibility, including invoices and account status
Supplier liaison to resolve queries and transfer objections
Market engagement and price negotiation
Support with contract termination notices
Handling agreed billing adjustments and refunds

The scope of your LoA is always clearly defined and agreed in advance, ensuring you retain full control over how we support your business.

For transparency, Focus Assured does not operate under “Level 2” Letters of Authority — we will never sign energy contracts on your behalf. Final approval always remains with you.

Is a Letter of Authority legally required?

An LoA is not a legal requirement set by law, but it is required by energy suppliers to release account information to a third party. This ensures compliance with UK data protection regulations and protects your business information. For this reason, we won’t begin any supplier engagement or detailed analysis without a valid LoA in place.

What’s included in a Letter of Authority?

A typical Focus Assured LoA will include:

Your business name and registered details
Our details as your appointed consultant
Details of any contract processing aggregators we may use
A clear outline of permissions granted
Explanation of how we are remunerated
A defined duration or review period
Authorised signatures and date

We provide clear, straightforward documentation and are always happy to walk you through it before signing.

We are always transparent about how we are remunerated and will clearly explain any commission structure before you enter into an agreement.

Any third-party platforms or aggregators we use form part of the wider energy market infrastructure and are only used where necessary. We remain your primary point of contact at all times.

How long does an LoA last?

The duration of your Letter of Authority (LoA) is agreed upfront, but in most cases, energy suppliers will only recognise an LoA for up to 12 months.

In practice, this means your LoA may:

Be valid for a fixed period (typically up to 12 months, in line with supplier requirements)
In some cases, be applied by suppliers for the duration of a specific contract
Remain in place until withdrawn, subject to supplier acceptance

You can withdraw your LoA at any time by providing written notice. Once revoked, suppliers will stop engaging with any third party acting on your behalf.

Staying in control

At Focus Assured, our role is to support — not to take over.

When signing an LoA, we recommend:

Reviewing the scope of authority carefully
Confirming what is (and isn’t) included
Setting clear expectations on duration
Keeping records for your own reference

Our approach is built on transparency, so you always know how we operate and how we’re remunerated.

Do you need more than one LoA?

In most cases, one Letter of Authority allows us to approach multiple suppliers as part of a structured market review. If you choose to work with another broker or consultant, they would require their own LoA, as suppliers will only recognise authorised parties named in the document.

What happens after you sign?

Once your Letter of Authority is in place, we can begin:

Reviewing your existing contracts
Engaging with suppliers
Gathering and analysing market options
Presenting clear, relevant recommendations

This removes much of the administrative burden, while ensuring your energy strategy remains aligned with your business needs.

Speak to Focus Assured

A Letter of Authority is a simple step that allows us to support your business more effectively across energy procurement, invoice validation, and ongoing utility management.

If you’d like to review your current position or understand your options, our team is here to help.

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