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Consumer's Telegramm European Edition
If you wish to be informed monthly about European consumer news, just subscribe our free newsletter.Consumer's Telegram May 2006
Insert of n. 35 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre, Italy)TRAVELLING
A successful holiday starts at the booking
If spring presents itself rainy, cloudy and windy instead of warm and sunny, it is even more inviting to be already with one’s mind on holiday. Many people are already looking for their “dream destination” for the most wonderful weeks of the year in the brochures of the travel agents.
Pay attention, however, to the formulation!
“Room on sea-side” doesn’t necessarily mean that sea view is provided; in the same way “hotel directly on the seaside” is not necessarily located on a beautiful beach- also a fishing harbour is on the seaside.
Therefore we suggest asking for further information in case of unclear formulations, and to get the things one considers most important confirmed in writing- to prevent is much easier than to “cure”!
DATING AGENCY I
Partner contact via newspaper ad: what one should keep in mind
In spring not only nature awakens but also the desire to fall in love and to have a partner on one’s side.Very often dating agencies insert lonely heart ads in various magazines. When Mister and Miss Smith answer these ads, they are requested to sign a contract.
Before signing this contract, however, double-check: Is the ad that has struck you explicitly quoted? If not, it will be difficult to get established the contact to the described person.
Therefore: insist on that your chosen ad is an integrating part of the contract.
DATING AGENCY II
Pay attention: Your free right of withdrawal can be limited!
Every contract, which is signed outside the commercial seat, provides the consumer a free right of withdrawal of 10 days; this is also valid for the dating agency contract which is often signed in a pub or in another public place.What few people however know is: if at the conclusion of the contract, it is asked that the fulfilment of the performance should already be carried out before the term of withdrawal, so this has to be paid to the amount to which it has been carried out.
Back to dating agency contracts: obviously Mister and Miss Smith would like to get some contacts of partner proposals soon after the conclusion of the dating agency contract. If this happens within the first 10 days, and the consumer decides to withdraw, these also have to be paid to the full amount.
Therefore our advice: Waive to a contact within the first 10 days!
CASE OF THE MONTH
It sounds inviting when you find the words “for free” on an Internet page. A German company as well used this kind of publicity on various websites; for example: www.songtexte-heute, www.tattoo-heute, www.hausaufgaben-heuteThe offer, however, was for free for 24 hours, after which it was automatically transformed into a service on charge. The consumers just realised it two weeks later when the term to withdraw had already passed.
On request of many South Tyrolean consumers we contacted our German colleagues who contacted the competition authorities and sent an admonition to the company. The reactions were immediate: the company completely changed its websites: no free offers, sufficient information on withdrawal rights, links to the general contract conditions are now all easily accessible.
Our efforts and our persistence have finally been rewarded: the company lawyer has communicated in a short statement that for them the affair is concluded.
Unfortunately, the mentioned homepages are not the only ones that sound inviting but are misleading.
Therefore once more: Nothing is for free!!!!
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