Empty flat, still a bill: what expats must know

Learn why you cannot simply stop paying for electricity in Poland, what fixed fees you still owe, and when cancelling a contract makes sense.

You switched off all fuses and left town, but the electricity bill still arrived. If you hoped to stop paying for electricity overnight, think again.

What the invoice actually charges

Polish electricity bills split into variable and fixed items. Consequently, variable charges drop to zero when you consume no energy. Moreover, the supplier still lists fixed network fees, a monthly subscription, and a capacity charge. These items run whether you use a single bulb or none.

The regulator, URE, writes plainly that zero kWh consumption does not mean zero bill. Therefore, the grid operator must remain ready to supply power at any moment. In addition, they must fund maintenance and reserve capacity.

Can you really stop paying for electricity?

The short legal answer: yes, but not by merely flipping fuses. You must terminate the comprehensive supply contract. The Energy Law (art. 4j ust. 3) allows household customers to end an open-ended contract without penalty. However, you must still pay for energy and services up to the contract end date.

After you give notice, the supplier arranges a meter removal with the distribution operator. Consequently, fixed fees stop only after the meter comes out. Therefore, written notice and confirmed receipt matter a lot. Moreover, if your contract runs for a fixed term, termination can trigger charges. In practice, suppliers can claim direct losses, but penalties for households remain limited.

What you pay when you use nothing

In 2026, a vacant flat with an active contract typically incurs three unavoidable fees. First, a fixed network access fee. For example, PGE (Stoen) charges about 9.98 PLN net per month. Second, a monthly subscription for administrative tasks, usually 4–5 PLN. Third, the capacity fee, introduced by the 2017 capacity market law. This levy counts even at zero consumption and rose sharply in 2026.

Consequently, you can expect roughly 18–22 PLN net per month for an unused apartment. Therefore, annual costs add up to about 216–264 PLN. In contrast, reconnection can cost from a few hundred to several thousand PLN. Thus, you must weigh the short-term save against possible reconnection bills.

Costs, timing and Warsaw specifics

In Warsaw, PGE Dystrybucja (formerly Stoen) kept its fixed network fee at 9.98 PLN net in 2026. Moreover, the notice period for households ends on the last day of the month after the month when you filed notice. For example, a notice on 10 May ends on 30 June. Suppliers then schedule meter removal with the distributor.

However, remember the reconnection trap. If you demolish the meter, the grid does not guarantee a cheap or fast re-attach. The operator may require new technical checks. Therefore, reconnection can take weeks or months and often costs more than a year of standing charges.

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