Customers of the company will pay an average of 49 euros more per month, which amounts to an increase of 35 percent, a spokesperson said. She confirms reporting from the NOS about the rate increase.
This increase is necessary because of the high energy prices on the international energy market. Gas in particular has become considerably more expensive compared to a year ago. This is partly due to the war in Ukraine.
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The news about the rate increase does not only cause stress for Essent customers. Consumers who are with another energy company would also like to know where they stand from 1 July.
Busy at customer service
At Vattenfall, the telephone is ‘red-hot’ because customers want to know where they stand, according to a telephone call to customer service. The wait this morning increased to more than half an hour. But customer service could not give a definitive answer to worried users. In any case, the rates are going up, customers hear.
A company spokesperson declined to comment on any increase. “We want to inform our customers first,” he says. At the moment, the company does not yet know what the new variable rates will be.
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The same applies to competitor Eneco. “We are still in the process of purchasing the stuff we need,” said the spokesperson. She expects to be able to provide more clarity in about two weeks.
Together with Essent, these two companies control approximately three quarters of the market.
Larger group in trouble
The rate increase will lead to financial problems for a larger group of customers than is currently the case, Essent expects. The spokesperson would not say how large that group is.
Nevertheless, it is likely that a large part of the more than 1.4 million customers of the company will be involved. At the moment, half of them still have a permanent contract, and when that contract expires, they will also receive a variable contract. And they will notice that on their energy bill, which will suddenly be much higher.
Compensation money already spent
And according to the company, there is another factor that will make the group that gets into financial trouble even larger. This is due to the difference in timing between the payment of the government compensation and the moment that the final settlement of the energy company falls on the mat.
The government is giving lower-income families around 800 euros to cushion the worst pain of high energy prices. In addition, an average household loses about 565 euros less thanks to a reduction in energy tax and VAT.
But according to the energy company, it does not always end up where it was intended. “The compensation for low incomes from the government is used for other things than for the energy bill,” the spokesperson said. For example, people use the money to pay off other debts, she adds.
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