How do I choose my energy supplier?

A number of elements may play a role when choosing your energy supplier:

• the rates applied and any promotional reductions;
• the contractual conditions (length of contract, etc.);
• the related services offered by the supplier;
• the supplier’s sustainability policy.

There are more than 15 suppliers on the Brussels market to provide you with both gas and electricity. Some of them serve both residential and professional customers, as required by law (such as Electrabel Customer Solutions, Lampiris, Octa+, etc.). However, many suppliers mainly target the professional market.

N.B.: There is no obligation to choose the same supplier for gas and electricity. It is up to you do decide which offer is most advantageous with the help, for instance, of the simulators provided by various independent institutions. You can use these

Choosing your energy supplier: several criteria to take into account

When choosing your energy supplier (link to question 80: which energy suppliers operate in Brussels) a number of criteria may play a role:

• the rates applied;
• the contractual conditions: check in particular that the supplier fulfils his legal obligations, i.e. that you are offered a contract for a minimum of three years and that you can terminate it without charge by giving two months’ notice;
• the related services offered by the supplier:
• easily accessible customer services,
• any reductions, for payment by direct debit, for instance,
• a well-documented website;
• the ‘green’ nature' of the energy supplied and the supplier’s environmental policy.

There is absolutely no obligation to choose the same supplier for gas and electricity. If you wish, you can opt for two different suppliers, depending on what they have to offer.

Be aware that not all the suppliers officially operating in Brussels necessarily target residential customers. Unlike Electrabel Customer Solutions, Lampiris, Octa+, etc., some of them focus mainly on large-scale professional consumers.

On-line simulators to work out the best rate

The rates applied are very often an important criterion in the consumer’s choice. To help you compare rates, a number of simulators are made available to you on the Internet.

• Simulator Brugel (BruSim)
• Simulator Test-Achats
• Comparison site Infor GazElec

Prepare the following elements to ensure that your rates simulation is realistic:

• your type of electrical meter: simple, dual hourly rate or night-only rate;
• your annual gas and electricity consumption: for this, consult your most recent annual detailed statement;
• indicate in the simulation whether you benefit from the social rate. If so, your future supplier has to apply this rate, which is set by the Federal Public Service of the Economy.

With all these elements and the help of simulators and consumer protection associations whose consultants can provide personalised assistance, you should be able to choose the most suitable supplier for you.