We love electricity... but, how do you get it!?

Yes we do, but how to get the provider, that was another story...
Before we left to the States, we were with a provider called ESSENT.
So we checked their prices online and decided to sign another contract with them. Well, at least that is what we intended to do!
When our tenants left, we provided ESSENT with all the paperwork to end the contract with them and to start a new contract with us.
Actually, it was not that easy, because we had to restart the procedure like 2 or 3 times!
We were glad to have it all done and did not think about it anymore till we received a letter in our mailbox this Monday saying that we had to choose (urgently) a provider or the electricity and gas would be cut off. NICE!!!!
So, they got the information that the tenant moved out, but never got the information that we also started a contract with ESSENT. Very efficient administration, no?
Alain tried to get to customer service and got different scenarios:
1) we do not have the meter readings anymore, could you provide them again?
2) sorry, I hardly speak any Dutch so I do not get what you are trying to ask me (well, actually she did not say it, but that is what my hubbie experienced)
3) oh, but sir we have a 0800 line (you call for free on these), so why do you not call our customer service at that extension (was she already suspecting that it would take like forever?)
4) the 0800 line was crap! Alain got cut off I do not know how many times but finally gave up
5) tried again the next day and had to start over again giving all the numbers and name, address and so on...
this unefficient customer service story kind of made us decide to not go on with them...
Can you imagine all the bad things that can happen once you have signed your 1year contract?

So we wisely decided to check other electricity providers and YES WE DID IT... we have a contract with another provider and will not have to spend entire evenings at our neighbors because we do not have light in our house (joke)!

So we can only warn other Belgian customers: "STAY AWAY FROM ESSENT".... we never ever experienced such difficulties trying to sign a contract!