Your building’s default electricity provider (Grundversorger) is set by regulation and is almost always the most expensive option in your area. Switching takes about 15 minutes online and typically saves €100–300 per year for a one-person apartment. Here is the complete process using CHECK24.
What You Need Before You Start
- Your current electricity provider’s name (check any bill or look up your building address on the provider’s website)
- Your customer number (Kundennummer) — on any bill
- Your electricity meter number (Zählernummer) — on the meter itself or on your bill
- Your annual consumption in kWh — shown on your last bill; use 1,500 kWh for one person, 2,500 for two if you don’t have a bill yet
Step-by-Step on CHECK24
- Go to check24.de/strom
- Enter your postcode and annual consumption
- Filter: set “Vorauszahlung” to “nein” and sort by price
- For contracts: prefer 12-month fixed pricing, no automatic renewal longer than 3 months, and providers with 4+ stars on CHECK24’s own rating. Avoid “Bonus” contracts that front-load savings — they often have worse renewal terms
- Click through to the application. You enter your name, address, current provider name, and customer number. CHECK24 notifies your old provider of the switch — you do not need to cancel separately
- The new provider sends a confirmation email with your switch date (Wechseldatum), typically 4–6 weeks out
Read the Cancellation Terms
Some cheap contracts have 24-month minimum terms and a 6-week cancellation notice before the renewal date. If you might move within a year, this is important. Specifically check: Mindestlaufzeit (minimum contract duration), Kündigungsfrist (notice period), and what the renewal terms are after the initial period.
After Switching
On your switch date, take a meter reading (Zählerstand) and send it to both your old and new provider. This ensures the final bill from your old provider reflects your actual last reading rather than an estimate. Keep a photo of the meter with the date visible.
