Bills and incorrect practices, the Agcom and Arera lighthouse lights up. Here is what cases it concerns

There are those who have received the termination of the existing contract from the electricity and gas company, without the necessary six months notice, forcing the consumer to run into another operator, under obviously worse conditions. Those who, on the other hand, have been pushed to close a contract, perhaps convenient, under the threat of termination of the old contract and automatic passage to the protected market. And who is threatened with posting if they join the protests organized by consumers. There are so many cases of unfair practices to the detriment of families and businesses by energy companies and they are growing day by day.

For this reason, urged by consumer associations, Antitrust and Arera today announced that they have turned on a beacon on this type of behavior. It is for the moment only a lighthouse on. The actual investigation has not yet started. If malpractices are found, the companies face a fine.

The recent legislative changes have also affected the phenomenon. “We have reported enormous confusion on the application front of the Dl Aid bis which, as is well known, prohibits unilateral changes to fixed price contracts – explains Codacons – Some operators would be evading the provisions, for example by applying prohibited surcharges to their customers in based on energy consumption “.

Another phenomenon is also emerging. “Then there is the issue of” skimming “by some companies, which terminate contracts for users considered at risk, because they are in arrears or late with payments, in order to keep only the most affluent customers in their wallets”. All practices denounced in recent days by Codacons and on which now Antitrust and Arera, thanks to our reports, will finally shed light. “And if unfair practices are ascertained, we are ready for an avalanche of lawsuits against the responsible companies, to get users back the extra paid due to illegal behavior” warns the president Carlo Rienzi.

“Well, great news! Accepted the theses of our presentation »says Marco Vignola, head of the energy sector of the National Consumers Union. «Just yesterday we announced the complaint, actually filed a few days ago, in which we denounced the violation by some electricity and gas companies of the free market of the Aid Decree bis. In practice, they are unilaterally modifying fixed-price contracts, raising prices, despite the fact that the law had forbidden them to do so until April 30, 2023 »says Vignola.

“Well the clarifications of Arera and Antitrust on the subject of unilateral changes to contracts, but we fear that energy companies may continue to adopt incorrect behavior towards users, taking advantage of the confusion that has broken out on contracts and the fear of consumers of finding themselves this winter without supplies of electricity and gas ». This was stated by Consumerismo No Profit, which takes the field to offer concrete help to users and defend them from incorrect behavior. In order to provide support to users, the association has made available to consumers a form through which all those who will receive communications from the energy companies of unilateral changes relating to the definition of the price of contracts at blocked prices (and therefore not “variable “), They can warn their manager not to change the electricity and gas tariffs, to prevent any violation of the rules of the Aid Decree bis, under penalty of unavoidable complaints to the competent authorities. The form is posted here.

Assoutenti calls for the opening of a discussion table between the two authorities and consumer associations. “To stop the energy pandemic in terms of contractual and legal violations, the recall of the two supervisory authorities is not enough, but the opening of a common table with consumer associations is immediately needed, aimed at defining a stronger preventive strategy of the block. the disconnections in supplies, unilateral changes and above all the interruption of contracts by the energy companies, which panic families by forcing them to find a new operator under increasingly prohibitive conditions, with enormous economic damage “, says the president Furio Truzzi.