Price increase for district heating: consumer advice center wants to sue E.ON
According to the consumer center, the price increase for district heating from the provider E.ON could be illegal. The association is therefore planning a model lawsuit and is currently looking for those affected.
District heating provider E.ON has significantly increased its prices between 2020 and 2022. Consumers could have incurred additional costs of several thousand euros as a result.
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Price increase for district heating: consumer center is looking for those affected
That is why the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) is now preparing a class action before. The reason: Consumer advocates suspect that E.ON’s price increases are illegal in many supply areas.
Now the customers should get their money back. “There is no competition in district heating and consumers are tied to a fixed provider for years,” says Ramona Pop, board member of vzbv. Pop added:
That’s why we keep a close eye on suppliers when prices rise. If, as in this case, we have doubts about the lawful course of action, we consider taking legal action. Consumers must not be unfairly charged, especially not in this already burdensome price crisis.
District heating prices quadrupled
As the consumer advice center reports, E.ON has more than quadrupled the net working price in the Hamburg-Lohbrügge supply area, for example, from 3.79 cents in 2020 to 17.20 cents in 2022 on the basis of its price change clause.
With an annual consumption of 15,000 kilowatt hours, this also corresponds to additional costs of over 3,000 euros gross for district heating customers. In other areas, consumer advocates noted similar developments.
Price increase for district heating: Those affected should participate in a model lawsuit
The consumer advice center considers the corresponding price increases to be ineffective. The price change clause also does not meet the legal requirements.
The association is therefore asking affected customers to contact their annual statements from 2019 onwards with immediate effect report, so that the association can consider a class action lawsuit.
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