Secretary of State for Consumer Protection Eva De Bleeker (Open VLD) offers energy suppliers who, despite repeated insistence and fines from the Economic Inspectorate, still do not have high-performance customer service, another week to find a “clear step-by-step”. -piano step ‘. If not, she will go to court. This is what De Bleeker said on Sunday at on the seventh day.
High gas and electricity prices appear to be accompanied by an increase in the number of complaints about energy suppliers. The Federal Public Service Economy (FPS) has already received 1,634 reports this year. In the first eight months of this year, the Energy Ombudsman’s service recorded double the number of complaints compared to the same period last year.
The complaints involve “endless waiting” for a final invoice, De Bleeker says, but also the actual amount of that final invoice and the availability of customer service. “Many consumers complain a lot that it is difficult for them to reach their energy supplier or get an adequate answer to their question,” says De Bleeker in a further press release.
“It is therefore very remarkable that, at the same time, some of these energy suppliers are also receiving complaints of misleading business practices in the context of telephone or door-to-door sales. How do you explain that you don’t find employees who answer your customers ‘questions, but you find employees who create new customers?’
A few weeks ago De Bleeker made proposals to the sector to solve problems regarding transparency, advances, final invoices and reimbursements. However, it is still unclear to many customers how the advance invoice is calculated.
“Maybe the urgency doesn’t come, or those suppliers don’t realize how insecure customers become when they receive high upfront bills,” says De Bleeker. If the sector does not meet its demands, it will convert its proposals into legislation. These are, for example, additional information obligations, but also binding terms for final invoicing and possible reimbursement.
Last warning
Despite the penalties of up to 80,000 euros that could lead to complaints to the Inspectorate of the Economy, seven energy suppliers appear to be particularly learned. “My patience is exhausted,” says De Bleeker now. It gives individual investigated suppliers another week to resolve infringements.
There will be no further reminders, he warns. If the energy suppliers involved do not take action, further legal action could follow. This is because the Economic Inspectorate can impose enforcement measures, such as administrative sanctions. And if the suppliers refuse to comply with these enforcement measures, De Bleeker can summon them and request the cessation of the infringements under penalty of a penalty.
“They must all be hands on the deck. Force majeure should not become a permanent excuse for not complying with binding rules or for cleaning feet with dignified service. My message is simple: fix it, ‘says De Bleeker. If customer service is simply understaffed, it should expand. “Although I know sometimes it’s hard to find people.”
