With videoCustomers should again be able to opt for a long-term energy contract with fixed rates. Government parties VVD and CDA want to oblige energy companies to offer such contracts. In this way, the parties hope to do something against the bills fluctuating up and down.
Wouter Peer
Latest update:
16:29
Today MPs Henri Bontenbal (CDA) and Silvio Erkens (VVD) present a pamphlet with five recommendations to Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten (D66). Spearhead: obliges energy companies again to offer annual contracts in which the rates do not change from month to month. They also want to abolish the welcome bonus for customers who switch to a new supplier.
The parties believe that the energy market has been left to its own devices in recent years. The war in Ukraine and the disastrous consequences for the gas price have exposed the weak spots, and something must be done about it now, according to the MPs. “What you see in the energy market is that consumers are not sufficiently protected,” says Erkens. Bontenbal hopes that in this way customers can opt for stability. “A lot of households want security.”
Long contracts
Due to high energy costs, energy suppliers have been slowly pushing the annual contract and the long-term contract – longer than a year – into the bottom drawer. Due to the rapidly rising prices, companies often no longer dare to agree on a long-term contract with a fixed rate. A contract for an indefinite period with a variable rate is preferred. The financial risks are covered by high rates.
Now Erkens and Bontenbal want those annual contracts to come back, so that the customers do not have to pay for the financial risks. As compensation, customers who want to terminate such a contract prematurely must pay a fair compensation for the revenue that the supplier loses.
In addition, energy companies should be subjected to an annual stress test to check whether they have their finances and organization in order, the MPs believe. In addition, the welcome bonus that should encourage customers to switch often should disappear as far as they are concerned and the advance amounts should be able to be transferred to a next supplier if the old supplier goes bankrupt.
Not enough
The proposals from VVD and CDA are in line with proposals that Minister Rob Jetten already made with Prinsjesdag. For example, Jetten wants energy companies to offer permanent contracts again more often and he wants to discourage switching from one supplier to another with fines. ,,I hope he will also take the rest with him”, said Bontenbal.
Erkens admits that much more needs to be done to bring the energy market back to a stable level. “It is a start to better protect consumers on the energy market,” said the VVD member of parliament. “Then it’s up to us to continue that.”
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