There have been many examples of consumers having had bad experiences and being cheated when they have changed electricity companies in recent years. A political majority wants to deal with this in a new agreement that will put an end to the fraud with fines and increased requirements. This is stated in a press release on Friday.
- I am very happy that we now have a broad package that aims to make it safer to be an electricity customer in Denmark. There are too many companies that cheat and do not give customers money back when they are supposed to, says Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard (M) to Ritzau.
There have been examples of customers having thousands of kroner withheld. Bills that have been significantly larger than promised. Creative marketing and opaque subscriptions and contracts.
More initiatives on the way
To make it safer to be a consumer and crack down on fraud in the electricity industry, a number of initiatives must better protect consumers. The aim is fair competition on prices and transparent terms.
A number of electricity companies have been in the spotlight of the authorities for not complying with the applicable rules, including several being reported to the police by the Consumer Ombudsman.
In the autumn of 2024, the trade organisation Green Power Denmark warned against what the organisation calls "unscrupulous electricity companies".
This involved companies that called consumers without consent and then moved them to their own company without the consumer being aware of it.
- For several years, we have warned against aggressive salespeople from electricity companies who have cheated consumers with misleading and in some cases illegal methods, says CEO Kristian Jensen in a press release.
Hope fines can act as a deterrent
The government proposes that fines can be imposed on companies that repeatedly violate the rules and ignore any orders from authorities.
According to the agreement, it is planned that a company with earnings of 20 to 50 million kroner can be fined up to half a million kroner. The hope is that this will have a deterrent effect.
- We are taking a tougher stance now. If you do not behave properly, but break the rules, the penalties will be increased. We are also introducing some requirements for the way you are allowed to communicate, so that it becomes more transparent, says Lars Aagaard.
In addition, an agreement must in future be approved via MitID, so that a telemarketer does not move your subscription without you being aware of it.
Director of the Danish Consumer Council Think Winni Grosbøll has previously described the conditions in the electricity market as "Wild West-like". She has previously expressed confidence that the initiatives will remove the worst bottlenecks in the industry.
The government has entered into the agreement with the SF, the Unity List, the Radical Party, the Alternative, the Conservatives, the Danish Democrats and the Danish People's Party.
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