Stay with basic supply or conclude price fixing over winter?

I thought you were only allowed three months in the basic supply? We also have an expensive tariff with a large supplier and pay 16 cents. I directly went for 24 months because that was still a bit cheaper at the time.

You can stay in the basic supply forever. That’s what it’s for. The local supplier has to take you on and basically has a supply obligation. Just like with electricity. The question is at what price. However, since the basic supply tariffs are currently the cheapest, you can try to get into them. And the basic suppliers will probably be the last to raise prices because there are many socially disadvantaged people under contract there. Unfortunately, about 90 percent of the population still haven’t really understood what’s coming. They are currently more occupied with vacations and think that with the current gas price, only a 1.5 cent surcharge will be added and that’s it. With the rescue of Uniper, Pandora’s box was opened. The gas suppliers can now pass on the very high stock market prices to end customers. Even with long-term supply contracts. Because those are now worth nothing.

Stay there. I assume anyway that contract prices will only play a minor role this winter. From October onwards, there is already the surcharge of 2-5 cents, and it is quite likely that the price cap will be lifted due to shortages. In this respect, a contract commitment will probably be of little use to you.

PS: Incorrectly reported meter readings are, to my knowledge, punishable by law

I would, if possible, look for a provider that doesn’t go under immediately. The problem with deliberately low estimates is that the providers use them on one hand for planning and on the other hand have to advance the money themselves. This works well if few do it too low, but if many deviate strongly in the same direction...