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Will changing your supplier be advantageous for you?
Before you change your supplier, it is advisable to consider whether or not the supplier switch would be advantageous for you. It is therefore recommended to pre-select several suppliers and compare their prices, terms and conditions. To easily compare suppliers' price offers, you can use ERO´s comparison tool (in Czech language only).
Find out how satisfied customers are with your chosen supplier. The lowest price should not be the only guide when choosing a new supplier.
Selecting a suitable supplier
If you then decide to actually change your supplier, beware of focusing on a single supplier with the best price when choosing. Customer satisfaction, the amount of the contractual penalties, the possibility to enter into a contract for an indefinite period, but also whether the supplier has branch offices and a customer service line or user-friendly website – all of these aspects are important too. The essential criteria for comparing suppliers also include business terms and conditions which form an integral part of the contract and must be listed on suppliers’ websites. Terms and conditions must contain primarily the following provisions:
- Rights and obligations of the contracting parties,
- Conditions for energy supply,
- Conditions for energy supply billing and terms of payment,
- Conditions for unilateral changes of price/or other terms and conditions,
- Options and conditions for complaints (e.g. against billing),
- Mutual communication and delivery of documents,
- Dispute resolution and jurisdiction of courts,
- Methods and options for contract termination or supply interruption; charges for non-standard services.
The supplier switching process
To facilitate the supplier switching process, it is possible to provide the selected new supplier with a power of attorney to represent you when signing the contract. The supplier can then take certain steps instead of you, which may accelerate the whole supplier switching process, not least thanks to the supplier’s greater experience.
The supplier switching process takes one to three months, depending on the notice period in the case of contracts signed for an indefinite term, and also longer in case of terminating fixed-term contracts.
If you choose not to grant a power of attorney for representation in the supplier switching process, you will have to handle the entire process all by yourself (e.g. submitting the notice for termination of the contract etc.).
Contract signing
Once you have selected your new supplier you must sign a contract for bundled supply services with the supplier. Before signing of the contract, ask the supplier to provide you with the draft of the contract, the applicable price list and the applicable terms and conditions well in advance (we strongly recommend that you read these documents thoroughly). The price list and the terms and conditions must be attached to the contract (the contract may contain an incorporation clause).
Supply from the new supplier
Your new supplier starts energy supply once all the steps required for supplier switching have been taken. The supplier should notify you of this fact and also of the date on which he actually started to supply you.
It is then advisable that you report a self-reading of the meter to the relevant distribution system operator (within five business days from the day of switching). Thereupon you will receive the final bill, which will settle your obligations with the original supplier.
Whenever you receive an energy supply bill from your supplier, it is advisable to check the whole bill, primarily to see whether the agreed terms and price were met.
Your bank payments for energy must be redirected to the new supplier’s bank account.
