German court limits electricity disconnections for unpaid bills

The Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht) of Frankfurt am Main has ruled that energy providers cannot arbitrarily disconnect electricity due to unpaid bills if the warning of disconnection contains significant informational errors.

In a recent case, the court determined that a provider's warning was insufficient because it overly restricted a customer's ability to raise objections. The provider had suggested that objections could only be made if the disconnection posed an immediate threat to life or limb. However, the court clarified that the assessment must consider whether the overall consequences of the disconnection are disproportionate to the debt, taking into account health issues, age, or other personal circumstances of household members.

Furthermore, the court ruled that providing only an email address for such objections was inadequate. Providers must inform customers in a simple and understandable manner that they can present all circumstances that would make a disconnection disproportionate.