Help for Amsterdammers without an energy contract
Amsterdam is going to work together with grid operator Liander to help Amsterdammers who no longer have an energy contract due to payment problems. In the previous period, the network operator will share with the municipality the addresses of households that are on the list to be closed. The debt counselors of the municipality can then offer these people help. In this way we try to prevent this group from becoming further entangled in debt and being cut off from energy.
The data exchange with Liander allows the municipality to intervene, just as municipalities do in the event of an imminent eviction. In Amsterdam, the number of evictions has been greatly reduced with this approach.
Prevent closure
In October, the Minister of Climate and Energy decided that energy suppliers must make every effort to prevent disconnections. But if someone falls into payment arrears, the supplier may ultimately still end the contract. Energy suppliers cannot look at their joint financial problems and offer help. The municipality can. The exchange of data by Liander makes it possible to intervene in this critical phase. It is a 3 month trial.
Only in this way can we help
The application For 3 months, Liander will share the addresses of households that have not previously been exchanged for the help offered by Vroeg Eropaf employees of neighborhood teams. An imminent closure can be a moment when people accept help anyway. Without this test, we cannot offer sexual assistance at this stage. Amsterdam currently has about 700 households without an energy contract. About 20 households will be added. If residents do not take action, the network operator is ultimately obliged to shut off gas and light.
How it works
As soon as there is an agreement on contract termination by the energy supplier, Liander sends a letter stating that a community team employee of the municipality will personally contact you. If the residents do not object, a neighborhood team employee will make an appointment to see how they can conclude a new energy contract as quickly as possible. Only in this way can a disconnection of energy be prevented. A neighborhood team employee can also intervene to prevent other debts from accumulating further.
First
Amsterdam and Liander are the first municipality and grid operator to make agreements to exchange data to tackle debts. After 3 months months we have the trial. If the results are positive, the municipality will urge the government to introduce legislation that also makes this data exchange possible at a national level.
Photo: Frank Broekhuizen/National Image Bank