Reducing your energy bill in 2024: why you need a contract coach

The cost of living in the Netherlands increases every year because of, well, inflation. 🤷 The last few years have been like no other, and we see this reflected in our ever-increasing energy bills.

So how can you regain control of that pesky piece of paper?

The good news is that even though managing your Dutch utility bills in recent years has proven to be a different ball game than usual, you can still save on energy costs in the Netherlands. 

READ MORE | Gas, electricity, water and more: the ultimate guide to utilities in the Netherlands

But let’s first understand why prices have skyrocketed in the first place before we dig into how to bring them down. 

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Energy prices are skyrocketing: why?

The Netherlands, and the rest of Europe, have been in an ever-worsening energy crisis for the past few years. 

In 2020, the winter turned out to be colder than usual, and with everyone penned up at home, people turned up the dial on their heaters. This resulted in greater energy demand, causing prices to rise. 📈

In 2021, the price hike continued, worsened by fears of diminishing gas stocks. Initially, the increasing costs were mostly felt by companies, but it didn’t take long before the average Dutchie (half a million of them, to be precise) began having trouble paying their energy bills.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, the question of Russian energy became even more relevant. 

The increasing motivation for ending the Netherlands’ dependency on Russian gas, coupled with a huge rise in energy bill costs, has made Dutch policymakers think — fast.  

As the Netherlands increases its focus on renewable energy and begins importing more LNG (liquified natural gas), the government is also introducing measures to cushion the impacts of the rising prices. 

Dutch energy bills: understand your contract

If there’s one thing you understand when you look at your energy bill, it’s that energy prices are rising, and you see it reflected in the sum total of your utility bills.

READ MORE | How to take control of your Dutch utility bills in 5 simple steps

We also know that in order to understand that frustratingly expensive slip of paper, you spend an unreasonable amount of time translating, googling, and maybe practising one or two Dutch swear words. 

Keeping up with energy prices is one thing, but keeping up with Dutch contract language is a whole other ball game. Nevertheless, it’s important to understand how much you’re paying and for what. 

With continuously climbing energy prices, the most important thing to consider is whether you have a fixed or non-fixed contract. 

• With a fixed contract, the price you pay for energy is locked in, meaning you aren’t at the mercy of the market. However, if you want to terminate your contract prematurely, you’ll often have to adhere to a 30-day notice period and might have to pay a fee. 

• However, if you have a non-fixed contract, then the costs billed to you are calculated on the running market price. 🏃 In this scenario, we’d probably try to run ourselves — either from our responsibilities or to a new provider. (Please only attempt the latter, though).

As an international, changing energy providers and switching contracts is not always an easy feat. Luckily, we know someone who can help you navigate the Dutch energy market. ⚡

Meet PartnerPete’s ContractCoach  

PartnerPete has developed a special service for internationals in the Netherlands that takes a three-pronged approach to tackle Dutch energy costs. Say hello to your very own ContractCoach! Now, what exactly can they do for you?

Translations

Firstly, the ContractCoach service offers to translate all the important documents you need to stay on top of your utility bills. Not only does PartnerPete help translate Dutch for non-Dutch-speakers, but they also help to make head and tail of the jargon. 

Contract follow-ups

In the Netherlands, it is often beneficial to switch providers once a contract expires. This tends to happen once a year. But what also tends to happen is that people forget to follow up after the contract expires, leaving them stuck with their current provider.

A Contract Coach contacts you once a year to discuss all your various utility contracts, ensuring that you’re happy to stay with your current one or helping you make the switch to another.

Contract cancellations

If you do decide to switch to a new supplier, PartnerPete’s ContractCoach will ensure that your old one is terminated correctly. The same goes if you’re moving to a new house in the Netherlands. 

Bonus feature: Energy Price Alert

As a new and improved feature, PartnerPete’s ContractCoach service now also includes energy price alerts. 🚨

This is perhaps the easiest way to reduce your energy bill in 2022. Anytime the energy rates drop below the one you have in your current contract, PartnerPete will notify you. 

What’s more, your ContractCoach will inform you proactively with a better offer than what you’re currently paying.

You can then decide whether to make the switch or not — a thing you, of course, won’t have to do on your own. 🤝

What are your biggest challenges when it comes to energy bills in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments.