NMa has published guidelines for more understandable energy bills

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) today released non-mandatory guidelines for clearer and more understandable energy bills. If energy companies implement these guidelines, their customers will be able to better understand and verify their energy bills. The guidelines, officially known as the 2010 Guidelines on consumer energy bills, have been developed in close collaboration with the energy industry, and consumer panels have tested the new energy bill format. Energy companies are free to decide whether to adopt and follow the guidelines or not.

Consumer needs are put first
NMa studies have found that consumers want to see an overview of the most important information at one glance. Above all, consumers want to have an energy bill that is understandable and correct, one they can verify themselves.

Two types of energy bills
Based on consumers' different wishes regarding energy bills, the Guidelines distinguish between two types of bills: a summarized energy bill and a detailed energy bill. Energy companies can freely choose which type of bill they send their customers. Customers receiving summarized bills can ask their energy companies for the detailed bills. In addition, they can also ask for full specifications if they want to verify their bills.
This way, consumers are in control of what information they wish to see on their energy bills. The guidelines contain instructions on what information energy bills should at least contain.

Non-mandatory guidelines
The NMa is expecting that many energy companies will eventually adopt the 2010 Guidelines on consumer energy bills. Those that do, and they are given time until January 1, 2011 to do so, and that have actually changed their bill formats, will be listed by the NMa on the energy-products-related website EnergieWijzer (part of Dutch consumer information portal ConsuWijzer, www.consuwijzer.nl), starting in 2011.

Guidelines make energy bills easier to compare
With the guidelines, consumers are able to compare the tariffs mentioned on their energy bills with the tariffs that energy companies advertised with or with the tariffs specified in the contract they signed with their energy company.