Are you a customer of Primastrom, Voxenergy or Nowenergy? Then you should act quickly.
Anyone who gets their energy or gas from Primastrom, Voxenergy or Nowenergy has had a lot of trouble in recent months and years. Unacceptable price increases, ignored termination letters and much more were common, according to customers and the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv).
Consumer protection groups did not want to tolerate this any longer. They took legal action against the companies.
The result is an out-of-court settlement between the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations and the providers. This enables affected customers to get money back for amounts paid in excess and/or to exit their contracts more quickly, even if they were actually terminated long ago.
However, those affected who wish to benefit from the out-of-court settlement must take action. They must contact their provider by the end of December 2024.
“The companies have come to the attention of the consumer centers through massive telephone campaigns,” says Patrick Langer from the vzbv class action team. Customers who have concluded their electricity or gas contract over the phone should go to the consumer centers’ website (www.verbraucherzentrale.de/verfahren/primaholding). After answering a few questions there, they will receive information about what they can demand from their provider based on the comparison. They will also receive suggestions for action from the consumer advocates. Only then should victims assert their claims.
Victims who have concluded their contract online, for example, can also get their money back. However, these customers must contact the consumer advice center by email (sammelklagen@vzbv.de). In the email, those affected should then describe their own case. The consumer advocates will then get back to you with appropriate recommendations for action.
Important: Those affected must send an email to their energy provider (Primastrom, Voxenergy or Nowenergy) by December 31, 2024. In this email, they must refer to the out-of-court settlement between the vzbv and the relevant company. “Consumers should then also receive a confirmation of receipt directly,” says Langer. The relevant agreements are recorded in the settlement.
Anyone who misses the deadline or is afraid to make the effort should remember that thanks to the settlement, a refund of several thousand euros is possible. After all, the unlawful price increases were up to 80 percent. And the injured parties are now entitled to this overpaid amount.
