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Statute of limitations on gas and electricity consumption
What do the regulations provide?
The 2018 Budget Law (Law no. 205/17), as amended by the 2020 Budget Law (Law no. 160/2019), introduced an important change in favour of customers regarding electricity and gas supplies: the reduction from 5 to 2 years of the period after which the right to payment for consumption is time-barred.
Who is this provision aimed at?
The customers of gas and electricity sales companies covered by this provision are consumers (residential users and professionals) and micro-enterprises (companies with fewer than 10 employees or with an annual turnover below 2 million euros).
What are the effects of the statute of limitations?
The customer can invoke the statute of limitations and therefore not pay the amount that the sales company invoiced/requested after more than two years. Furthermore, the sales company cannot suspend the supply concerned for arrears if the customer has expressed their wish to invoke the statute of limitations and the related procedure is pending.
What obligations do sales companies have if they issue bills relating to consumption dating back more than two years?
Electricity and gas sales companies must indicate on the bill the presence of amounts relating to consumption more than two years old that the customer may not be required to pay (both with a dedicated page placed before the bill and in the body of the bill itself), and they cannot use direct debit for the payment of these amounts.
What can Prometheas do?
Prometheas consultants on statute of limitations offer their customers advice and assistance, handling on their behalf the objection that must be raised with the relevant sales company so that the limitation of the credit can be recognised and the amount considered not due.
