Summary in english
The Swedish Consumer Electricity Advice Bureau
The Swedish Consumer Electricity Advice Bureau is an independent bureau which provides advice and guidance to consumers. All information and guidance is free of charge. The Bureau’s activities started in 2002. The principles are the three authorities Swedish Consumer Agency, Swedish Energy Agency and the Energy Markets Inspectorate together with the electricity industry organization Svensk Energi (Swedenergy).
The guidance is primarily for consumers or for someone representing consumers. The information and guidance is mostly operated by telephone. Consumers can call the Bureau Monday to Friday, 9.00-12.00 am. It’s also possible to contact the Bureau by sending a letter/fax or send in a question via our web mail. You find us on the Internet at www.konsumenternas.se.
The consumers can turn to the Electricity Advice Bureau in questions concerning the electricity market. The Bureau offers pre-purchase information concerning suppliers and their prices. The Bureau gives information about the process connected with a change of supplier. The Bureau also help consumers to understand difficult terms in their electricity bill, in contract concerning electricity supply and common terms used in the Electricity suppliers marketing. The Bureau also provides information about e.g. questions of billing and questions concerning the electricity meter.
If the consumer has a problem or a dispute with their electricity supplier or the distributor, our advice is that the consumer primarily should contact the company concerned. If the consumer doesn’t reach an acceptable solution - or if the consumer feels insecure about the answers they get from the company - the Bureau can provide the consumer with guidance and information how to deal with the problem. The Bureau informs the consumers about legislation and other regulations concerning the Electricity Market, and how they are applied by the electricity suppliers and the distributors.
Another main task for the Electricity Advice Bureau is to have a focus on problems that are common between consumers and actors in the Electricity market. The Bureau provides statistics based on the problems that the consumers have in the area of the Electricity market. The concerned principal agencies are supplied with this statistics as well as the companies in the electricity industry.
Other counselling
Except the Swedish Consumer Electricity Advice Bureau, there are Local consumer counsellors based in the swedish municipalities.
The local consumer counsellor can i.e. help the consumer with pre-purchase information concerning suppliers and their prices. They can also give advice how to get a dispute settlement.
Local government energy advisory services are aimed at the general public, at small companies and organisations. They coordinate and complement advice published by public authorities and commercial organisations. Local government energy advisors provide help to those lacking the knowledge or resources to make the best choices themselves. Advice is available in several areas: energy, technology and consumer guidance, but does not include home surveys and must not refer back to the council's own departments or companies. Today, almost all municipalities in Sweden have energy advisors.
Dispute settlement
The National Board for Consumer Complaints (ARN) examines consumer disputes and recommends ways of settling them.
Public Court, there’s ultimately the court that settle disputes.