Ombudsman Energy wants door-to-deurverkoop to establish links

Consumer, The federal ombudsman Energy advocates to go door-to-deurverkoop of energy contracts to be abolished, because the number of complaints about the practice considerably increased, as is apparent from the annual report. A legal prohibition, imposition is not possible, but the suppliers could, for example, can jointly remember. The energy sector points out the report.

The federal ombudsman's office of Energy received over the past year 6.713 complaints. That there are 15 per cent more than in 2017 and even 21% more than in 2016. Slightly less than half of the complaints was declared admissible, and one was three-quarters closed with a positive result via an amicable settlement, good for 406.582 euros in total compensation, or an average of 170 euro per complaint.

Read also 40,000 customers disadvantage: ombudsman Energy drag six energy suppliers for the court Door-to-deurverkoop

A new increase (+13 percent) was visible in the number of complaints around the commercial practices of energy suppliers. Those complaints are now already on the third place in the annual report, good for a share of 15.3 percent. the

Ombudsman Eric Houtman notes that this practice already for several years a source of anxiety. "It's going to in addition to door-to-deurverkopen also to sell on the public road or in shopping malls. Thus, there is a source of energy for the door of Mediamarkt postvat and customers a discount coupon offering if they energiecontract signs. But the customer will then get an expensive formula offered".

Remuneration in the transition

in Addition, the payment of a termination fee on the slotfactuur to switch energy supplier, even a common but prohibited practice, complains Houtman. "Last year in August, our colleagues from the consumentenombudsdienst against a collective action brought in the ondernemingsrechtbank in Brussels. The first hearing on the admissibility takes place in June. I look forward to the decision". the

The largest share of complaints (16,9 percent) at the office of the ombudsman Energy is related to the meteropname, although their number somewhat decreased. The ombudsman expects that with the advent of digital meters, that number will diminish further. the

But for the new working year 2019, the total number of complaints about the energy market is still in a rising line, says Houtman. Especially on the Dutch-speaking side.