Belgium Targets Late Energy Bills and Contract Switches
The Belgian federal government is taking decisive action against persistent problems in the energy sector, announcing three new measures designed to protect consumers from late billing, unfair charges after moving homes, and unauthorized contract transfers. Minister of Consumer Protection Rob Beenders (Vooruit) unveiled the reforms on the ‘WinWin’ consumer program on Radio 2, with the measures set to take effect from mid-2027.
“You pay for what you consume, you pay what you agreed, and you are not punished for a mistake you didn’t make,” Beenders said, summarizing the principle behind the reforms, as reported by VRT NWS.
No More Late Final Bills
The first measure targets a frustration many Belgian households have experienced: receiving a final settlement bill years after the fact. Currently, energy suppliers can wait years to issue a final bill based on meter readings or corrections, sometimes resulting in surprise settlements of several thousand euros.
Under the new rules, suppliers will no longer be able to issue final bills based on meter readings or corrections for which they received the necessary information from the distribution network operator more than one year ago. Additionally, the statute of limitations for all other energy bills—including gas, electricity, and water—will be reduced from five years to two years after the due date.
“Today an energy supplier can, for various reasons, wait years to send a final bill,” Beenders explained. “As a result, people sometimes think for years that they have paid all their bills properly, and then suddenly a final settlement of several thousand euros arrives. That is unreasonable.”
The issue of late energy bills is not new. Consumer organization Testaankoop reported as far back as 2022 that it had received 400 complaints about delayed settlement bills, with problems traced partly to the new Atrias data platform. The Energy Ombudsman had also issued formal advice in January 2025 on reducing the limitation period.
Fair Billing When Moving Homes
The second measure addresses billing errors that occur when a home changes occupants. Old residents sometimes receive bills for energy consumed by new occupants, while new residents can be saddled with costs from previous tenants or owners.
Going forward, suppliers must offer an energy takeover document (energieovernamedocument) to be filled in and signed by both old and new occupants. Even a unilaterally signed document can serve as proof of the move date when combined with other evidence such as a rental contract or dated inventory of fixtures.
“You pay for the energy you consume, not for that of someone who lived in a home before you or received the keys after you,” Beenders said. “That seems obvious, and it should be.”
Notification of a move, death, divorce, or other customer change must now be reported to the energy supplier within 21 days. If reported by phone, the supplier must confirm the notification in writing.
No More ‘Mystery Switches’
The third measure tackles the so-called ‘mystery switch’ problem—when a consumer’s energy contract is transferred to another supplier without their knowledge or consent. These errors, often caused by incorrect EAN codes or administrative mistakes, affected approximately 400 customers last year, according to Beenders.
Under the new rules, an unauthorized contract transfer must be corrected within three months, with the consumer keeping their original contract and agreed rates. If the situation is not resolved in time, no supplier may issue a bill for the period of the wrongful transfer.
The Vooruit party had already announced in May 2026 that Beenders was working on legislation against this practice.
Industry Response and Enforcement
The Federation of Belgian Electricity and Gas Companies (FEBEG) acknowledged the new rules. “All FEBEG members will apply the law,” spokesperson Stéphane Bocqué said, “but we have previously indicated that this shorter period gives energy suppliers less room to work with customers to find solutions for payment problems.” FEBEG also noted that other sectors, such as telecom, benefit from a longer three-year period.
Beenders expressed confidence in enforcement, pointing to the Energy Ombudsman as a key watchdog. “We have a very good Energy Ombudsman and they will very quickly discover when energy suppliers do not comply with the rules,” he said. “Everything has also been discussed with the sector. They know what is coming and have promised to comply.”
The measures are part of a broader reform agenda by the De Wever government to make energy contracts more transparent. Earlier reforms included a unanimous Chamber vote in July 2026 banning deceptive welcome discounts in energy contracts, part of a package that also introduced QR codes on bills and standardized tariff structures.
What to Watch For
With the new measures taking effect around summer 2027, consumers can expect meaningful protections against the most common energy billing frustrations. The shorter limitation period, in particular, represents a significant shift in the balance of power between suppliers and households. As the reforms move through the legislative process, the practical implementation and industry compliance will be key factors in determining their real-world impact. The Energy Ombudsman’s role in monitoring supplier behavior will be crucial to ensuring the new rules deliver on their promise.