Affiliate Disclosure
Last updated: December 2024
The short version: We earn money when installers pay for county sponsorship and when you click certain partner links. This doesn't affect the price you pay. We're upfront about it because transparency matters.
How We Make Money
SavingEnergy.com is free for homeowners. Here's how we fund the service:
1. County Sponsorship (Primary)
MCS-certified installers pay a monthly fee to be the exclusive sponsor for their county. When you enter your postcode and we route you to a local installer, that installer is a paying sponsor. They pay us regardless of whether you proceed with them.
2. Partner Commissions (Secondary)
When no local sponsor exists for your county, we may show you offers from vetted national partners (such as energy suppliers, solar companies, or comparison services). If you click through and sign up, we may earn a commission. This does not increase the price you pay.
3. Affiliate Links in Content
Some links in our advice articles may be affiliate links. If you purchase products or services through these links, we may earn a small commission. We only recommend products we believe are genuinely useful.
What This Means for You
Prices are not affected. Whether you come through SavingEnergy.com or go directly to a company, you pay the same price. Our commissions come from the company's marketing budget, not your pocket.
We're selective. We don't accept every installer or partner who approaches us. Sponsors must be MCS-certified (where applicable) and meet our standards. Partners are chosen based on reputation and relevance.
Content isn't for sale. Our advice articles aim to be genuinely helpful, not just vehicles for affiliate links. We write what we believe is accurate and useful, regardless of commercial relationships.
Recommendations may be influenced. We're human (well, mostly — Sparky is AI). When multiple options exist, we may feature partners we have relationships with more prominently. We try to be fair, but you should always compare options independently.
How We Label Things
We aim to be clear about commercial relationships:
- County sponsors are shown based on your postcode. If your county has a sponsor, they appear first.
- Partner offers are labelled as such when shown in place of a local sponsor.
- Affiliate links in articles may be noted with disclosure text nearby or in the page footer.
If you ever feel unclear about whether something is a paid placement, please ask us.
Our Editorial Independence
We maintain editorial independence from our commercial partners:
- Partners don't approve or edit our advice content
- We can and do criticise industry practices even when partners might prefer we didn't
- Sparky AI is designed to give balanced guidance, not push specific partners
- Our guides aim to help you make informed decisions, not just generate clicks
Why We're Telling You This
Transparency builds trust. Many websites obscure how they make money or bury disclosures in dense legal text. We'd rather be upfront.
You're making important decisions about your home and potentially spending thousands of pounds. You deserve to know when commercial interests might influence what you see.
If our model doesn't work for you, that's okay. You can always go directly to installers, comparison sites, or official government scheme pages. We won't be offended.
Compliance
This disclosure is provided in accordance with:
- UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) guidelines on affiliate marketing
- Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
- Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidance on online endorsements
Questions?
If you have questions about our commercial relationships or want clarification on whether something is sponsored, email info@savingenergy.com.