Frequently asked
Find out an answer to your query from frequently asked questions. You can manage a number of transactions online in the online or Oma Helen service. We are also happy to help you in our customer services.
Questions about the customership
Oma Helen serves around the clock right when it suits you best. The service allows you to deal with anything concerning your electricity contract conveniently. For example, you can check the details of your current electricity contract and how much your electricity costs, change the due date of your bill, the number of bills and the way you are billed, view your billing history, transfer your current contract to a new address, and change your contact details. Oma Helen also gives you a comprehensive overview of your energy usage and production, down to an hourly basis. You can use Oma Helen either in your browser or through the mobile app.
Log in to Oma Helen here or download the mobile app here.
Log in to Oma Helen on the browser
You can view the details of your current electricity contract and the price you are paying for electricity in Oma Helen. Among other things, the service also allows you to change the due date of your bill, the number of bills and the way you are billed, view your billing history, transfer your current contract to a new address, and change your contact details. Oma Helen also gives you a comprehensive overview of your energy usage and production, down to an hourly basis. You can use Oma Helen either in your browser or through the mobile app. Log in to Oma Helen here or download the mobile app here.
Log in to Oma Helen on the browser
A fixed-term contract protects against an increase in the price of electricity and guarantees that the price will remain the same until the end of the contract period. If you move during the contract period, you can choose whether to continue with the old contract or make a new electricity contract.
If your electricity contract is for a fixed term and you move, we will continue your contract at the same price at the new address until the end of the contract period. You will receive a new offer about one month before the end of the current contract period.
When a fixed-term contract comes to an end, the contract automatically continues to be valid indefinitely. Currently, our contracts that are valid indefinitely are exchange electricity contracts if your fixed-term contract ends no later than 28 May 2023. Because of the change to the Electricity Market Act, from 29 May 2023 our contracts that are valid indefinitely are, depending on your previous contact, Basic Electricity, Time-of-Day Electricity or Wind Power. You can change a contract that is valid indefinitely in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.
You can change your contact details, such as your name, phone number and e-mail address, in Oma Helen. In Oma Helen, you can also change the due date of your bill, the number of bills and the way you are billed, for example. At helen.fi, you can notify changes using the contact details change form. Please be sure to notify us of the new billing address, last name or other similar change in one of the above ways, as the changes made at the Local Register Office or Posti do not update our customer information.
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You can submit a notification of moving in Oma Helen or on our website. Please remember that the electricity contract is always specific to an address. You can have several contracts in force at the same time at different addresses. You may need power at two places, for example if you are renovating your new home, but still living at your old address.
Make an electricity contract for your new home at least two weeks before moving. This is to make sure that the electricity is connected on the moving day. Start the new contract from the date you want the electricity supply to start. Please let us also know the date on which we should change your billing address. Your old contract ends only when you terminate it yourself or when a new customer makes their own contract at your old address. Terminate your old contract on the date when the removal is completed.
The electricity is cut off at the end of the contract if a new customer has not made a contract.
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We will send you a contract confirmation once your local distribution system operator has confirmed the start date of the contract. If you have a valid fixed-term contract with another electricity seller, your contract with Helen will start after it has ended.
The information in the contract confirmation is valid at the time of sending. If you have notified us of changes, they will take effect on the agreed date. For example, a new billing address is updated for the contract when the new contract enters into force.
If you are moving, you can terminate your old contract at the same time as making a contract for the new address. Make a new contract for your new home here.
If you do not need a new contract, please terminate your contract while logged in, using the form here.
Go to the electricity contract for businesses here.
Questions about the electricity bills
You can change the payment date of your electricity bill in our online service. If you are using e-in
You can postpone the due date of your electricity bill in Oma Helen. If your payment history is in order and you do not have any overdue bills outstanding, you can postpone the due date in our online service. If the postpone function does not appear in our service, ask about the facility by phone. The due date of the original bill can be postponed before the bill is due for payment. The due date on a payment reminder cannot be postponed.
The due date can be postponed free of charge once a year. Any further postponements of more than 14 days will be charged at EUR 2.00 when done via the online service or EUR 5.00 over the phone. If you are using e-bills, change the due date also in your internet bank. The due date of a direct debit bill cannot be postponed. Interest for late payment will be charged on bills paid after the original due date.
Electricity distribution and electricity sales are separated from one another. Your local network company is responsible for electricity distribution and will send you a separate bill, and your selected electricity supplier will also send their own bill for the amount of electricity sold. As an exception to this, Helen offers its electricity sale customers in Helsinki a combined bill with Helen Sähköverkko.
The most common billing interval with electricity bills is three months. For a household with electric heating, we recommend having a monthly billing interval so that individual bills will not be too large. If you wish to change the billing interval of your electricity bills, you can do it by logging in to our online service Oma Helen. You can choose between 4, 6 or 12 bills per year.
You can sign an e-billing agreement in your own online bank. For requesting Helen’s bills, you will need the reference number on our bill.
Helen delivers electricity and district heat bills also to Posti’s OmaPosti service. The agreement on the use of OmaPosti is made with Posti. Our bills that would otherwise be received in the letter post can be directed to OmaPosti.
You can find your electricity bills in our online service. If you haven't registered yet, you can do it via online bank.
Electric energy
Electric energy means the energy and service provided by an electricity seller. The amount of energy to be billed is most commonly based on the volume of electricity (kWh) consumed during the billing period.
Electricity transmission
Electricity transmission is provided by the local distribution system operator. In Helsinki, the operator is Helen Electricity Network Ltd. The function of the electricity network is to transfer electricity produced in power plants to consumers. The electricity network is maintained by the electricity transmission charges. The Energy Authority monitors the charges to ensure they are reasonable.
Electricity tax
Electricity tax is paid on the consumption of electricity. The tax consists of excise duty on electricity and a security of supply charge. The distribution system operator bills the electricity tax from the customer along with the transmission charge and passes it on to the government.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
The watt-hour (Wh) is the unit of energy corresponding to the wattage output for one hour. Generally, the unit of measuring electric energy is the kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is 1,000 Watt-hours.
Questions about the reduction to value added tax
In accordance with the Finnish Parliament’s decision, the rate of value added tax on electricity will be temporarily reduced from 1 December 2022 to 30 April 2023. During this period, the rate of value added tax will be 10 per cent instead of the normal 24 per cent. The decision was made due to the rise of electricity prices as a result of the energy crisis.
Read more about the reduction in value added tax on the Tax Administration’s website (in Finnish).
The temporary reduction will enter into force on 1 December 2022 and end on 30 April 2023.
From 1 December 2022 to 30 April 2023, the rate of value added tax will be 10 per cent. Under normal circumstances, the rate of value added tax is 24 per cent. Therefore, value added tax will be reduced by 14 percentage points.
In practice, a reduction of 14 percentage points on value added tax means a price reduction of about 11.28 per cent on the energy fee and energy basic charge.
The reduced rate of value added tax applies to the energy fee and energy basic charge, but not to the distribution fee, distribution basic charge and electricity tax.
The reduction applies to all electricity contracts.
We will take the reduced rate of value added tax into account automatically on electricity bills for consumption between December and April and no action is required from your part. You can find your electricity price with the effective rate of value added tax in the Oma Helen service.
The Finnish Parliament has decided on a temporary tax credit and financial support for electricity to help with rising electricity prices. The tax credit for electricity is aimed at those whose electricity expenses exceed EUR 2,000 during January–April and who pay enough taxes to apply for the credit. Those consumers whose electricity bills are high, but who are not eligible for the full tax credit due to their low annual income, can apply for financial support for electricity.
Read more about tax credit on the Tax Administration’s website.
Read more about financial support for electricity on Kela’s website.
Questions about the electricity market situation
There are many issues to consider when selecting an electricity contract and company. The electricity market is currently undergoing a serious crisis, which affects all electricity companies. Price changes caused by the crisis affect all electricity contracts, regardless of the type of contract or the electricity company. In Helen's range, you will always find an electricity contract that is just right for you at the market price.
The price of electricity has been extremely volatile recently, and the unstable world situation is not making it easier to predict price developments. The price is affected by a number of factors, such as the production costs and source of the electricity and the general market situation. Electricity price formation is also influenced by matters like the weather, production-consumption balance, world economic situation and the prices of raw materials.
Both the spot prices of exchange electricity and futures prices that predict future electricity prices have risen sharply recently. A fixed-price electricity contract makes predictable monthly or annual electricity costs possible.
Unfortunately, in the current market situation, we are unable to offer a right to switch to a fixed-term contract.
Along with other operators, the situation is challenging also for companies that sell electricity. Helen's risk management competence and operating processes are first class, and we have done well in areas like forecasting and balancing procurement and sales and fixing contract prices. Even in this situation, we are able to sell and supply electricity reliably and responsibly.
Electricity prices are currently rising purely as a result of rising market prices, and this is not based on increased margins. Helen always acts responsibly and taking a long-term view: at worst, selling at a loss could lead to the company no longer being able to operate.
Exchange Electricity is becoming increasingly popular. With the help of Exchange Electricity, our customers have been able to reduce their consumption by 15%, a very considerable amount which is reflected in our customers' costs.
Even small choices and everyday actions can have a significant impact on your electricity consumption and thus on the size of your electricity bill. Energy consumption is affected by factors like the size of the home, number of residents, usage habits, and the number, age and condition of electrical appliances. Helen encourages its customers to save energy. Please see our savings tips for the exceptional situation here:
Questions about products
Helen's supply obligation products are Exchange Electricity and Consumption Electricity.
No, are not. The Exchange Electricity and Consumption Electricity contracts are valid until further notice. If you wish, you can terminate your Exchange Electricity or Consumption contract by giving two weeks' notice.
As an Exchange Electricity customer, you benefit from watching your consumption. We recommend using the Oma Helen service, which gives you a comprehensive overview of your energy usage down to an hourly basis. With the help of Oma Helen, you can easily optimise your electricity usage. For example, you can set the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer to operate at night, as well as charging the electric car, and the sauna can be heated at weekends. If you heat your home with electricity, it pays to have it on when the price is low or moderate. Electricity prices are usually lowest at night and at weekends.
Oma Helen allows you to also track the electricity spot price. With the help of price data, you can reduce your electricity usage when it is expensive and take advantage of the cheapest hours.
Questions about district heat bills
District heat billing is based on actual energy consumption and a fixed water flow fee. See further information about billing.
Find out about prices and example calculations. You can view your usage costs in Oma Helen’s browser version.
District heat energy is used for heating premises and hot tap water, and for ventilation. Some of the thermal energy is lost, for example, through windows and doors.
You can monitor the heat consumption of your own home in Oma Helen’s browser version.