Around the turn of the year, several electricity and gas suppliers terminated their customers.
They had to switch to significantly more expensive providers – but they can take action.
Kassel ‒ Several hundred thousand customers experienced a nasty surprise around the turn of the year: a sudden cancellation of their electricity and gas supplier.
People who get electricity and gas from Stromio, gas.de and Grünwelt were affected.
Particularly bitter: Gas prices are exploding at the moment anyway and are causing high costs.
In addition to electricity, the prices for heating and petrol are also rising.
The consequences for consumers were serious: In many cases, they had to switch to new customer tariffs from the default supplier – i.e. the company that equips most households in the respective areas.
As a rule, however, they are significantly more expensive than the tariffs that those affected previously had.
But they can fight back.
After a shock termination for electricity and gas: resupply or compensation?
"The behavior of the companies is illegal and dubious," says Holger Schneidewindt from the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer center, according to information from ARD.
Schneidewindt names several ways for those affected to take action against Stromio, gas.de and Grünwelt.
Surname | Stromio |
Seat | Kaarst (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
founding | 2009 |
According to Schneidewindt, on the one hand, they could insist on being supplied by them again.
On the other hand, they can look for another electricity and gas supplier and try to get compensation from Stromio, gas.de and Grünwelt themselves.
However, he makes a clear recommendation between the two procedures after the electricity and gas termination.
Termination of electricity and gas: consumer center sues against energy discounters
Because a re-supply “can be an endless horror.
We recommend an end with horror," ARD quotes Schneidewindt.
There are sample letters from the consumer advice center for both procedures.
But it is better to go to another supplier and claim compensation.
Another fact speaks in favor of this: the consumer advice center in Hesse wants to sue the energy discounter Stromio.
According to the German Press Agency, the terminations are considered illegal and a model declaratory action is being prepared against the company.
It should be accessible to people from all over Germany.
Compensation for damages after termination of electricity and gas: document meter readings precisely
Depending on the duration of the contract, the consumer advice center expects damage amounts of several hundred euros per contract.
In order to substantiate their claims, customers should precisely document their contracts and meter readings.
If the consumer advice center has filed the complaint, there should be a complaint register at the Federal Office of Justice in which those affected can register free of charge.
The Hesse consumer advice center provides current information about the lawsuit on its website.
This is how those affected can help themselves for the moment:
Those suddenly laid off by their electricity and gas suppliers should look for a new provider.
Victims can claim damages.
It is best to register them in the register of complaints as soon as possible.
People who have been terminated by these companies should keep a careful record of their meter readings.
A law firm told ARD that the terminations of Stromio and gas.de on their behalf were based on the "historically unique price explosion on the energy market" - and defends itself against the accusation that the remaining energy was sold to wholesalers in order to make more money.
But there is also good news for those not affected by the terminations: Customers can do something even with high prices, new contracts and delivery stops for electricity and gas.
(Jan Trieselmann with dpa)