Switching electricity provider for parents or relatives

Many people look after the contracts of their parents or grandparents. That is allowed and sensible if a few rules are followed. Here you can read who signs, what you should have ready and where to be careful.

Who signs the contract

The contract partner of the energy supplier is the person in whose name the contract runs. This person has to agree to the switch. Without their consent you cannot conclude anything, even if you pay the bills.

In the assistant you choose “I’m doing this for someone else”. The contract holder (Vertragsinhaber) signs a short authorisation (Vollmacht), on their phone or by link. How the signature works in the individual case, we clarify with you before anything is concluded.

What you should have ready

the latest annual bill (Jahresabrechnung) as a photo or PDF
name and address of the contract holder
date of birth of the contract holder, for the contract
the customer number (Kundennummer) with the current provider
the bank details, only at the end and from the contract holder themselves

How to go about it in practice

Collect the bill from the person or have them photograph it.
Start the assistant and choose “for someone else”.
Look at the suggestions together and choose a tariff.
Have the authorisation and the contract signed.
Note the notice period (Kündigungsfrist) of the new contract, and if you like we remind you.

Talk about it beforehand

Only enter personal data with the knowledge of the person it concerns. Agree beforehand who gets the post and emails about the switch and who answers questions. That way there are no surprises later.

If the person has no smartphone or email, write to us beforehand. Then we clarify how the signature can work in this case.

What changes for the person

After the switch the bill comes from a new sender, with a new customer number. Tell the person beforehand. Otherwise they quickly take letters from the new provider for advertising or fraud and throw them away. The monthly instalments (Abschläge) continue to come from the contract holder’s account, just to the new provider.

If someone can no longer decide for themselves

If a person is no longer able to decide for themselves, simple agreement is not enough. Then you need a power of attorney for care or guardianship (Vorsorge- oder Betreuungsvollmacht) that covers such contracts. This is a legal question, and we cannot help you with it. An advice centre or the guardianship court (Betreuungsgericht) can tell you what applies.

Be careful at the door and on the phone

Older people often get calls or visits from sales representatives who push for quick deals. For contracts made at the front door or on the phone, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) names a cancellation period (Widerrufsfrist) of 14 days. Together with someone they trust, they can compare in peace.

There is more about how the switch works in the article Switching provider: steps, time, cost.

Frequently asked questions

I am doing this for my parents. Is that possible?

Yes. In the assistant you simply choose “I’m doing this for someone else”. The contract holder signs a short authorisation, directly on your phone or by link.

Does the contract holder have to be there?

They have to agree to the switch and sign the authorisation. This can be done on a phone or by link. You can upload the documents, such as the bill, for them.

What happens next

In the assistant choose “I’m doing this for someone else” and upload the person’s bill. We guide you through the rest.

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Updated on 16 October 2026. General information, not legal advice. We arrange contracts through partner suppliers and receive a commission from the supplier for it. We add nothing to the tariff price.