Logically, if you want to realize your dream of owning your own home, you first need a plot of land. On the one hand, this building plot must be sufficiently large and located in a local area that can generally be built on . On the other hand, it must also be developed in terms of infrastructure. If a municipality has plots of land that can be built on, this means that the connection to the road network, water and sewage supply and the electricity grid must be guaranteed. So before you can find the right electricity provider, you first have to deal with the development.
The legal side of the development
The details of the development of the building plot are a matter for the state or the municipality in which the building is being built. What is permitted and what is not permitted can be seen from the development plan for the client. So that the planned house can really be implemented on the desired property, it is worth taking a close look at the specifications and regulations in the development plan before buying the property.
Supplying a household: Only gas and electricity can be freely selected to date
Once the property has been developed accordingly and the house has finally been built, sooner or later the question of suitable gas and electricity providers naturally arises. Unlike the water supply, when it comes to gas and electricity, it is now common practice to find the best provider by comparing prices. There are mainly political reasons why this is different with the water supply: Although there have been discussions about the privatization of the water supply for years, this will not happen any time soon.
The reason given for the refusal was, in particular, the fear of a lack of investment by private providers in the renewal and maintenance of the systems.
In the case of electricity and gas, another solution was found in this context – namely the distinction between network providers and electricity providers. The network is still provided by the municipality (i.e. from the public sector). For this reason, electricity meters are also maintained and, if necessary, read by the provider on site. Only the goods that can actually be used, i.e. electricity or gas, are provided by another, possibly private provider. For the user this means: if there are any questions about the supply line, they should be directed to the municipal grid operator. Questions about the tariff should be addressed to the respective electricity provider. The “rent” that the private electricity provider has to pay to the municipal grid operator is settled among these two players.
Electricity provider price comparison: Regional electricity is not the cheapest
Anyone who now believes that the electricity prices of regional providers are the cheapest has fallen for a true myth, because the regional provider is usually not one of the cheapest suppliers. Experts therefore recommend comparing electricity prices regularly and paying attention to these individual factors:
Look at the value for money
When changing the provider of a regularly used good – in this case electricity – one must of course proceed with caution. Particularly attractive offers should be searched for the proverbial hook. In addition, experts advise not only paying attention to the monthly amount, but above all to the services offered. Above all, green electricity tariffs are more important in terms of price, but they are the logical consequence of an ecological way of building and living .
Check contract terms
The contract conditions can be determined by three factors:
At the contract period. This should be chosen as flexibly as possible.
At the notice period. This should be documented in a transparent manner and under no circumstances should the cycle be too long.
On the renewal options. Even if the contract is not dissolved or terminated after the end of the contract period, the subsequent contract period should not be longer than the initial contract.
Put pricing to the test
The pricing is a particularly exciting factor, because the view should fall on any price guarantees. In addition, it should be clearly noted whether it is an electricity package that offers a certain amount of electricity: Unused electricity should not expire, too much electricity should not be particularly expensive. With a view to any insolvency proceedings, no advance payment should be made.