Couple Sued for Power Bill by Company They Never Used

Tenho Asikainen, 76, and his wife Mirja Asikainen, 77, who live in Kesälahti parish in Kitee, Finland, were surprised to receive a legal notice from the North Karelia District Court. The document informed them they had been summoned to the Kymenlaakso District Court over an unpaid electricity bill. The lawsuit was filed by Rukan Energia Oy, a company the couple says they have never been customers of. The notice arrived in their mailbox just a few weeks ago, prompting confusion and concern. According to the court documents, the claim involves an outstanding electricity charge that the Asikaisens insist they do not owe. They maintain they have never signed any contract or received services from Rukan Energia Oy at any point. This case raises questions about billing and customer verification practices within Finland’s energy sector. While the Finnish government has implemented consumer protections under EU energy market directives, incidents like this highlight potential gaps in service provider accountability. The matter is now before the court, where the Asikaisens will present their defense that they were never clients of the company pursuing payment.