Everything you want to know before you start.
No cost, no risk, no catch — here is exactly how the engagement works, in plain language.
24 answers, organized by topic. Still have a question? Contact us directly.
What does a UtiliSave® audit actually involve?
We review your gas, electricity, water, sewer, and steam bills line by line, checking tariff classification, metering, taxes, exemptions, and demand charges among many other components and charges, against what your utility is legally permitted to bill, using our proprietary BillAudit™ platform and 35+ years of tariff expertise.
How much does it cost to start?
Nothing. There is no engagement fee, no retainer, and no upfront cost of any kind. We are paid only from the money we recover or save.
How long before I see results?
Most clients see initial findings within 90–120 days of providing billing data, though the full retroactive review and any dispute resolution can take longer depending on the utility, but then the flow of opportunities continue.
What do you need from my team to get started?
Electronic access to your utility provider, a signed contract and letter of authorization allowing us to speak with your utilities on your behalf, and some information on your properties — most clients spend under an hour on the entire intake. And that is essentially all on an on-going basis.
Do I need to have never been audited before?
No. We find recoverable errors in roughly 94% of customer engagements, including accounts already audited by another auditing firm, or an in-house energy manager. No matter who has examined your accounts, or what they have uncovered, we are confident UtiliSave will find more.
How does UtiliSave get paid?
Purely on contingency — our fee comes out of the money we recover or save, so if we find nothing, you owe nothing.
What percentage do you take?
Our standard fee is 40% of what we recover, whether that is a refund or future rate savings, and it only applies to the benefits we deliver.
What is the “Second Look” challenge?
If you already have an in-house team or another firm auditing your bills, we will re-audit those same accounts at no risk to you; if we do not find money others missed, it costs you nothing.
Is there a catch if you do not find anything?
No catch — no recovery means no fee, no invoice, and no further obligation of any kind.
What are the most common errors you find?
Misapplied tariffs, meter data errors, missed exemptions and programs, miscalculated demand, and overlooked tax exemptions are the five errors we see most often.
How far back can you go?
We audit to the full statute of limitations in your state — typically two to six years, and under certain circumstances longer.
Can you find savings even on bills that look normal?
Yes — most billing errors are not obvious on the surface because they are classification and calculation errors, not mathematical errors.
Do you only recover past overcharges, or do you lower our bills going forward too?
Both — refunds recover what was overpaid historically, and correcting future facings charges lowers your run-rate every month afterward.
Will this take up my staff’s time?
Very little — we handle data collection, analysis, filing, and negotiation, and most clients spend less than an hour on the initial entire engagement, and near zero time on an on-going basis.
What happens if a utility disputes your findings?
Every engagement includes our legal team’s input** at no extra cost, and we will pursue disputes if we believe such action is warranted — including litigation — until they are resolved.
Who actually deals with the utility company?
We do, directly — you never have to call, write, or negotiate with a utility on your own.
Do you work with our existing energy manager, consultant, or ESCO?
Yes — we complement in-house teams, efficiency providers, and ESCOs by focusing specifically on billing accuracy, an area most energy managers are typically not resourced to audit.
How do you analyze so many accounts at once?
Our proprietary BillAudit™ platform applies in-house designed, built and maintained algorithms across your full billing history to flag anomalies a manual review without the advantage of 35+ years of auditing success would miss — we have invested $10 million+ in this technology, and continue to make large IT investments.
Is our billing data kept confidential?
Yes — your data is used solely to conduct your audit and is never shared with or sold to any third party, and we will execute an NDA if requested.
Can you work with poor-quality or incomplete historical data?
That should not be a problem because with rare exception we will get the billing data directly from the utility
What industries do you serve?
Healthcare, higher education, hospitality, manufacturing, government, real estate, religious institutions, restaurants, groceries, and long-term care — essentially anyone who has large utility bills.
Do you work with small portfolios, or only large ones?
Both — we have recovered five-figure refunds for single properties and eight-figure refunds for national portfolios. But there are minimum billing requirements, please inquire for details.
Can you help with ESG or benchmarking compliance, not just recovery?
Yes — accurate billing data is the foundation of accurate ESG and benchmarking reporting, we also provide uploading to EnergyStar.
Do you partner with ESCOs, efficiency providers, or wholesale suppliers?
Yes — we add a recovery layer that complements efficiency and procurement work already underway, and we pay referral fees to partners.
Ready to see what is hiding in your bills?
No cost to start. No fee unless we recover.
Start the Free Audit**If, after consultation with you, litigation is warranted, we will work closely with experienced outside counsel to advocate for your rights. Outside counsel is Steifman LLP, of which Michael Steifman, CEO of UtiliSave, is the founding and managing partner. There typically will be no additional charge or fee to you for this service, other than what is set forth in your Agreement with UtiliSave. Should there be a fee, your consent in advance will be required before we proceed. You may also, at your own expense, choose counsel of your choice.