The Association for Consumer Information (VKI) and Wien Energie Vertriebs (Wien Energie) have agreed on an unbureaucratic solution in the dispute over the switch from the “OPTIMA” tariff to “OPTIMA Relaxed” in September 2022: Wien Energie customers, Those who were affected by the tariff change on September 1st, 2022 can request an “energy cost compensation payment”. For households with an average electricity consumption of 2,000 kWh, the payment is up to 75 euros, and for an average gas consumption of 8,000 kWh it is up to 200 euros. Applications can now be submitted free of charge – no later than June 30, 2024 – on the VKI website www.verbraucherrecht.at/wienenergie-aktion2024 possible. All affected active customers will be informed separately by Wien Energie in the next few days about the opportunity to participate.
The price increase in the “OPTIMA” tariff carried out by Wien Energie in September 2022 and the simultaneous switch to the “OPTIMA Relaxed” tariff led to a large number of complaints to the VKI. The background was that the energy price of electricity and gas in the existing “OPTIMA” tariff roughly doubled as of September 1, 2022. Customers on this tariff were automatically switched to the “OPTIMA Relaxed” tariff if they did not object. The “OPTIMA Relaxed” tariff was cheaper than the “OPTIMA” tariff after the price adjustment on September 1st, 2022, but more expensive than the “OPTIMA” tariff previously offered. Those customers who actively objected to the tariff change had to bear the significant price increase in the “OPTIMA” tariff. From the VKI’s point of view, Wien Energie’s described approach was inadmissible. The VKI therefore took action against the energy provider by means of a representative action in October 2022. Wien Energie took the position that the procedure described was legally permissible and that there was no alternative in the interest of security of supply for customers in view of the exponential increase in procurement costs as a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Despite different legal opinions, the VKI and Wien Energie have worked together to develop an unbureaucratic solution: Affected customers will receive a consumption-dependent energy cost compensation payment upon request: Customers with an average annual consumption of 2,000 kWh of electricity will receive up to 75 euros. For natural gas it is up to 200 euros with an average annual consumption of 8,000 kWh. If both electricity and natural gas were purchased, customers receive a total of up to 275 euros.
Former Wien Energie customers who were affected by the tariff change can also take part in the campaign.
“We are very pleased that, after intensive negotiations with Wien Energie, we were able to agree on a consumer-friendly solution that avoids lengthy legal disputes,” said Mag. Stefan Schreiner, Head of the Promotions Department at VKI, commenting on the agreement reached.
SERVICE: Further information about the agreement with Wien Energie and how to apply for energy cost compensation can be found at www.verbraucherrecht.at/wienenergie-aktion2024.