Check who is selling energy to you!

A Polish wide educational and information campaign commences for Customers - Recipients of electricity. Through the radio, national and local press, and also the Internet, Towarzystwo Obrotu Energią (TOE) (Association of Energy Trading) wishes to make Consumers aware of their rights on this market and promote fair business principles. The campaign commenced with an official signing of the Code of Good Practice for Electricity Sellers by the first sellers declaring operations compliant with the Code. The patronage over the campaign was taken by the President of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO).

The campaign is a reply to the more and more frequent complaints of Customers relating to unfair operations of sales representatives of some sellers.  They use lack of knowledge, particularly of elderly people and the fact that terms such as "a man from the power plant" or " energy man" for numerous Customers mean energy companies which they have known for many years. It happens that they mislead people and lead to conclude an agreement which Customers wished not to sign.

- "A possibility of a free change of a seller by individual Customers is a foundation of a free market.  The competition, however, needs to serve Customers first of all. The obligation of sellers is exercising due diligence, so that a prospective Customer, before conclusion of the agreement, has sufficient information on the offer they were presented. They have to be informed of e.g. energy prices, necessity of paying distribution fees, and also of any other terms which will affect the settlement" - said Maciej Bando, Vice-President of the Energy Regulatory Office, acting as the President of ERO.

The educational and information campaign encourages Customers to make informed decisions when choosing the seller. It is guaranteed only by a full knowledge on whom the Customer is talking to, what the full content of the offer is and finally what the rights and obligations of the Recipient are. Therefore, the Association of Energy Trading will encourage Customers to check the door-to-door seller they admit to their homes, and also carefully read the agreements they are to sign. The action informs also of the right to resign from the agreement signed outside of the seller's office, within 10 days, with no consequence.

- "We wish to fight for the Customer with the price and quality of rendered services. Unfair practices used by some sales representatives challenge the trust in the whole sector. They are unacceptable. Therefore, it is so important to compete subject to transparent principles, remembering that it is the Customer who is the most important" - emphasised Krzysztof Zamasz, Chairman of the Executive Board of TOE.

The educational and information campaign is supported by the largest players on the Polish market of electricity: PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, TAURON Polska Energia, ENEA, Grupa Energa and RWE Polska.