Northwest Zealand heating customers of Odsherred Forsyning are encouraged to complain if they wish to withdraw from their agreement with the utility company. This is stated by the Danish Consumer Council Think in a press release.
Complaints should be addressed to the Energy Appeals Board. The board handles civil law disputes between private consumers and energy companies. The call from Think comes after Odsherred Forsyning raised its prices at the end of February. The increases are up to 76 percent.
If you, as a customer, wish to withdraw, you must pay a "withdrawal fee". The actual fee is calculated by multiplying the area of the property by a rate per square meter. For a standard home of 130 square meters, the termination fee will amount to DKK 212,255, according to Odsherred Forsyning.
The utility company's CEO, Pernille Ingildsen, has said that the adjustment of the price is necessary to "ensure a stable and reliable supply".
Odsherred Forsyning was taken under reconstruction by the Bankruptcy Court in Holbæk with a debt of more than one billion DKK last year. Part of the large debt in Odsherred Forsyning is due to a failed rollout of district heating in Odsherred Varme.
Consumer Council: Customers are bound by a covenant
But according to the Consumer Council, this is not a real choice. On the contrary, it is a "de facto binding of district heating customers".
- We do not believe that a district heating company can be allowed to bind consumers in this way by making them pay several hundred thousand to unsubscribe from district heating - which in some cases they have not even started to receive yet, says a written quote from senior advisor at the Consumer Council Think Nikola Kiørboe.
The Consumer Council cannot guarantee that consumers will be successful in their complaints. But Nikola Kiørboe assesses that those customers who have not even had their district heating installed yet have a good case, he says.
In connection with the price increases in February, Odsherred Forsyning said that "we will work purposefully to optimize the overall economy through improved operations, administration and facilities".
- Our goal is to be able to reduce the district heating price again if possible. But it is a process that will take a long time, said Pernille Ingildsen.
/ritzau/
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