Paying energy bill without warning?

Questioner

My husband and I are connected to the energy supplier. They always send an annual overview of our consumption in November and we received this this year as well. We also receive a monthly overview of our consumption and we can use this overview to determine whether to increase or decrease our monthly amount because we have a variable contract. At the beginning of this year, we noticed that we had high consumption and that this was far above our monthly amount. We therefore decided to contact the energy supplier immediately. In this conversation, I asked whether it was necessary to increase the monthly amount or whether this would be offset against the price ceiling that was announced by the government at the beginning of that year. The energy supplier then said that this was not necessary and that this would be offset against the annual overview and that we therefore really did NOT have to worry. Nevertheless, my husband decided to contact them again later that year, because he was worried about this. Of course, it is not a problem if we have to pay something extra, but this should not be too much. During the telephone conversation with my husband, the energy supplier again indicated that we did not have to worry and that this would eventually be fine. Now the case is that we received the annual statement today (14/11) and they expect us to pay an additional 1151.89 euros. Of course this comes as a shock, because they told us that we did not have to worry. After contacting them by phone and by email, it came down to the fact that it is our own responsibility to increase the monthly amount and that it therefore does not matter that they said during the phone call earlier this year that we really do not have to worry about this. This is an amount that you do not just cough up in this current period in which everything is already so expensive and we wonder whether they are allowed to do that and what we can do about it?

Lawyer

Of course I understand that you are worried about paying a bill that you were not expecting. It is important that you know what your rights and possible steps are so that you can make clear and sensible decisions. First of all, if you disagree with a received bill, you have the right to protest. You do this by sending an objection to the organization or person who issued the bill. It is important to clearly explain in this objection why you disagree with the bill. Furthermore, you must make the objection within the time limit set by the organization or within a reasonable time after receipt of the bill. In addition, you can request the option to pay in installments. The chance of this depends on the organization or company that issued the invoice. Some allow this, others do not. It is advisable to contact the organization or company directly to discuss this possibility. With regard to trusting that you do not have to worry, you should always be vigilant with legal and financial matters. If the organization or company has assured you that you do not have to worry, it is always good to obtain evidence of this promise, such as written correspondence or a recorded conversation. Failure to pay a bill can have serious consequences, including late payment fees, damage to your credit rating and potential legal action. It is therefore important that, even if you disagree with the bill, you take action to prevent these issues. This may include making a payment while you have lodged the appeal, or making a payment arrangement. Please note that whilst this is general advice, your situation may be specific and vary. It is advisable to seek personal legal advice regarding your situation so that you can take the best possible steps to protect yourself and ensure the best possible outcome.