District heating companies operate on a monopoly-like market. Therefore, there are rules governing how they are allowed to act. Among other things, they have a negotiating obligation, but it is ineffective, notes the Energy Market Inspectorate (Ei). It essentially only means that the companies must inform the customer and try to reach an agreement.
Therefore, legislative changes are needed, notes the authority in a government assignment that has been tasked with reviewing how the market functions.
"To genuinely strengthen the customers' position on the district heating market", writes Ei.
Among other things, it is proposed that district heating suppliers must be more transparent in their pricing, they must disclose their financial position so that companies can be compared with each other, according to Ei.
In recent years, district heating prices for households have risen sharply, with often two-digit (over 10 percent) annual percentage increases. The companies themselves have pointed to rising fuel prices.
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