“There was now a supplier, which I have never seen before, who has increased the rates in the interim as of 1 October,” says Donat. “That has to be because otherwise the company won’t make it.” Suppliers have to stick to the agreed prices and can get into money problems as the purchase price has increased enormously.
The company DGB Energie has even canceled supply contracts with customers, farmers and consumers report in the trade journal De Boerderij. Due to the skyrocketing prices, delivery will be stopped this month or next, a letter to customers would say. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets is investigating these reports.
Due to the overheated energy market, there are now far fewer offers for contracts in any case: now thirty compared to normally ninety. Anyone who now enters into a new energy contract at a fixed rate will therefore have to pay considerably more.
According to Pricewise, an average household now spends about 1,300 euros more on a fixed annual contract than if it had been concluded a year ago. At the moment, that would cost an average of about 3,298 euros. That was 1935 euros last year.
Is it wise to conclude a new energy contract?
Opinions on this are divided. “It’s tricky, but our advice with variable is: think about committing to it for a year,” says Bleker of Pricewise. “It feels contradictory because the price is so high, but that’s how you prevent worse.” He expects energy prices to rise further in the coming months.
“We say: don’t panic and just wait and see,” says Donat of the Consumers’ Association. She warns that the fixed rates are now very high and if the energy price drops, you will be stuck with them. “It is better to be variable for the time being and wait, rather than committing yourself headlong to an annual contract.”
Ultimately, only a crystal ball can tell what the smartest choice is. “The disagreement about this between the advisors indicates that no one can predict what the energy price will do in the coming months,” says Puk van Meegeren, energy expert at Milieu Centraal.
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