Starting tomorrow, energy companies will have to send reminders more frequently before they are allowed to disconnect customers from gas and electricity. This emerges from a transitional regulation presented by Minister Jetten (Climate and Energy). The cabinet wants as much as possible to prevent people being locked up next winter because they can’t pay the bill.

Now an energy supplier can cancel the contract and withdraw gas and electricity after just one ignored payment reminder. In the transitional arrangement, which will apply until April 1 of next year, at least three reminders must have been sent at least 14 days apart.

In addition, the energy company has to try different ways to contact the non-paying customer. The supplier must also be able to prove this. And if there is a threat of closure, the energy company must first contact the community. The latter also tries to prevent the shutdown by offering debt help to the customer.

Reconnect defaulters

Only if there is no response to this can the procedure for dissolving the household be initiated. The customer will receive a letter about this.

In response to parliamentary questions from the SP, the minister also wrote that people who were recently switched off because they could not pay would have to be switched on again.

The House of Representatives had previously asked Jetten to ensure that people would not be cut off next winter because of payment difficulties. The temporary arrangement is the elaboration of it.

In addition to the regulation to avoid shutdowns, a price cap for the electricity bill will apply from January 1st. In November and December, all households receive an additional 190 euro discount on the bill.