Who are the market players?
Sibelga manages the entire gas and electricity distribution network in the Brussels Capital Region. Its responsibilities include the construction and maintenance of the network as well as the reading of meters at the consumer's premises. Electricity and gas suppliers use the Sibelga network. All their customers are connected to it. It is the suppliers who charge for the energy used. They set their prices according to various factors: the cost of energy, the cost of using the network, taxes, etc. In Brussels, the default supplier is Electrabel. Consumers who have not taken the step of changing supplier since the liberalisation of the market therefore remain Electrabel customers. Only the work on your connection to the network and the operation of your meters will be invoiced directly by Sibelga.
Aware of the highly international character of Brussels, Sibelga has developed an English version of the site to also provide advice to the large expatriate community living in the capital.
A very well done trilingual site that gives you the answers to all your energy questions in Brussels. www.energuide.be
The EAN code
This 18-digit code identifies a connection and an energy supply point and therefore corresponds to a specific address. It is essential for all your dealings with your supplier and for any intervention by Sibelga on your meters. If you do not have the EAN code(s) for your residence: Sibelga 02 549 41 00 or clients@sibelga.be
The counter
Sibelga is responsible for installing, repairing, moving, opening and closing the meters. The meters are read on behalf of your supplier by Metrix, a subsidiary of Sibelga. The meters are read once a year by Sibelga for private individuals and most companies, or when a consumer changes supplier.
The invoice
Depending on the supplier you choose, a monthly, fortnightly or quarterly bill is issued, based on an estimate of your consumption. Every year, Sibelga reads the meters. This reading is sent to your supplier, who will adjust the overall bill according to your actual consumption. The schedule of meter readings is available on the Sibelga website. If you are absent when the Sibelga technician visits each year, you will receive a letter asking you to send the meter reading by telephone or online. This reading, taken by you, must be sent to Sibelga before the twentieth day of the month following receipt of the letter, otherwise it will be re-estimated on the basis of the meter readings from previous years. The actual or estimated reading is then sent to your supplier to readjust your bill.
Moving in
Once a supplier has been chosen: if the meters are open, moving documents will need to be completed by the previous occupier or landlord AND the new occupier. These documents (the IN form and the OUT form) can be downloaded from the Sibelga. In most cases, they can also be filled in online on the suppliers' websites. Contact your supplier for more details on the procedure.
If the meters are closed, the new occupant must obtain the EAN code of each gas and electricity connection point and communicate this to the supplier of his choice to conclude the contract. Once the contract has been concluded, the new occupant must wait for the supplier's "green light" before contacting Sibelga to open the meters.
The appointment with the Sibelga technician to open the meters must be made via the Sibelga customer reception desk on 02 549 41 00. On the day of the appointment, an adult must be present to give access to the meters.
Moving
To close the meters, contact Sibelga on 02 549 41 00. You can also hand over to the landlord or directly to the new tenant who is moving in. The form will be supplied by the new customer's supplier and they will take care of the changeover. We advise you to keep a copy of the form. You can also download the forms from this site.
A free application is available on this site in the three languages. It allows you to better understand and control your consumption of gas, electricity, water, fuel oil, etc. In concrete terms, you can encode your meter reading and certain parameters very simply and in a totally anonymous way. From your computer, smartphone or tablet, you can then measure your energy consumption and see how it is changing in the short and long term.
What you need to know:
Before taking any action regarding gas or electricity in Brussels, go to www.brugel.be Whatever questions you may have before and during your stay, Brugel can help you.With a simple click, download the "Moving" brochure specially designed for you (EN or FR).
Whether you are moving in or out, use the official forms for meter readings, available on the website.
Gas and electricity take-back form
This will avoid any unpleasant surprises or disputes at a later date.
Find out more about Brugel's new comparator (www.brusim.be) that allows you to find the best offer for your profile. Lighten your bills? It's as easy as a click!
Boiler maintenance
Keep your boiler in good hands: Between € 7.00 and € 19.41 per month, your natural gas supplier maintains your installation. Every two years he will arrange an appointment with you at your convenience
Call the Energy Line: 078 35 33 33 or surf tomaintenance
Analyse the offers of the suppliers carefully, you have the choice between several tariffs (Day/night - Fixed/variable...)
There are different types of tariffs depending on your personal consumption. To all the basic tariffs, VAT must be added: 21% for gas and electricity, 6 % for water. Water, gas and electricity meters are only read once a year and your bill is adjusted annually according to your consumption. Your first bills are estimates based on the consumption of the previous occupant. Beware of readjustment if the family profile is very different from yours! The suppliers mentioned do not take care of repairs or maintenance: it is up to you to find a plumber and an electrician quickly. If you have a problem with the sewage system, call your local authority: they will be able to help you. Electricity in Belgium: 220 Volts, 50 cycles.
See the website: www.brugel.be
This video gives you access to all the information you need to make sure you haven't forgotten anything when you move house (subtitled in 9 languages).