In light of price hikes by the district heating provider Eon, consumer advocates have urged affected customers to join a class-action lawsuit. Affected individuals have until September 14 to do so, the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) announced on Tuesday. “Registration is free and can be done online.” The class-action lawsuit aims to secure refunds for consumers.
The class action lawsuit concerns price increases for Eon district heating customers. The association stated that these increases had been “strikingly” high in recent years. The vzbv considers the price hikes unlawful, explaining that the company’s calculation formulas failed to meet legal requirements—for instance, by incorporating “factors that were factually inappropriate.”
According to the court, an oral hearing took place on Monday at the Higher Regional Court of Hamm. The court indicated “that the price adjustment clauses used by the defendant in the three specific supply areas under scrutiny could be invalid,” the association stated. A decision is scheduled to be announced on October 12.
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“This is a positive signal for the affected customers,” says Ronny Jahn, head of the class action team at the vzbv (Federation of German Consumer Organizations). It remains unclear how many supply areas this finding applies to; according to the court’s preliminary assessment, it could be limited to three areas.
An E.ON spokesperson welcomed the Higher Regional Court’s rejection of a “blanket assessment” of the price adjustment clauses. The court pointed to the need for a “precise, case-by-case analysis to examine the legality of the respective price adjustment clauses.” The court deemed only the subsidiary claims regarding three supply areas to be well-founded.
Jahn, representing the vzbv, announced that the Federation of German Consumer Organizations would appeal to the Federal Court of Justice should the court confirm the ruling on October 12. “Participating therefore remains worthwhile—regardless of the supply area in which a person receives service.”
The association highlighted the “lawsuit check” tool on its website, which allows consumers to determine whether they are eligible to join the class action. The lawsuit concerns customers who entered into a district heating contract with Eon; it makes no difference whether the contract is still active.
Author: AFP – oer/pe – Translated by Blackout News
Sources: AFP Press Portal