From July 1, 2023, the gas price will no longer be regulated by the public authorities and subject to market prices. UFC-Que Choisir has published a guide on how to adapt to it.
The conflict in Ukraine has greatly disrupted gas supplies, with Europe refusing to obtain supplies from Russia ever since. Other sources had to be found urgently and at high cost; all the more so, recalls the consumer association UFC-What to choosethat the economic recovery after the lifting of the constraints linked to the health crisis has also led to an increase in needs in energy. If prices have fallen this winter, due to abnormally mild temperatures for the season, the association believes that the trend should not last. According to her, the end of regulated tariffs, scheduled for June 30, 2023, is bad timing. “If alternative suppliers take advantage of this to garner as many new customers as possible, it’s a safe bet that their low price will explode beyond the summerthe demand for gas to pass the next winter without cuts pushing prices up”explains UFC-Que Choisir.
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The households affected by this measure are those who signed a contract before November 2019, with Engie or a local distributor – unless you have subscribed to one of their market offers. If you do not change supplier before June 30, 2023, your contract will switch to a market offer from the same supplier. It will always be possible to terminate the contract afterwards. The UFC-Que Choisir also alerts on a likely spike in local supplier prices (some of which have a monopoly, as in Bordeaux): “only a very strict control by the Energy Regulatory Commission [qui publiait chaque année un avis sur le tarif réglementé du gaz, NDLR] can protect consumers”, she warns. For those who would already like to change contract before the lifting of regulated tariffs, CRE should publish a reference tariff to help compare offers.
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Intensive canvassing
The consumer association also expects the multiplication of canvassing of energy suppliers. Antoine Autier, head of studies at UFC-Que Choisir, fears that “Consumers are drowned in fussy marketing messages, as there is a market to be taken in a short period of time.” If you have been convinced by a canvassing, but you change your mind, it is possible to withdraw within 14 days after signing the contract ; the seller will then have to ask the former supplier to reactivate the previous contract. If the change of supplier is made without the consent of the consumer, it is possible to report it to the Energy Regulatory Commission for the old contract to be reinstated.