AK consumer protection in Carinthia draws positive conclusions for 2023: Around 54,000 consultations were carried out using the free service, supported by the state of Carinthia.
Every Carinthian can take advantage of the free consumer protection service, with the support of the State of Carinthia. Regardless of whether you are an AK member or not
AK President Günther Goach
Klagenfurt (OTS) – AK consumer protection draws an impressive balance sheet for 2023: a total of 53,647 advisory services were provided for Carinthians, which corresponds to an increase of two percent compared to 2022 (52,512 advisory services). Of these, 20,280 advisory services were provided by telephone, 29,446 in writing and 3,921 in a personal conversation. A total of 696,895.30 euros were brought back to Carinthians by the AK consumer protection experts.
The Chamber of Labor supports all Carinthians – not just members: “Every Carinthian can take advantage of the free consumer protection service, with the support of the State of Carinthia. Regardless of whether you are an AK member or not”
emphasizes AK President Günther Goach.
Services for all Carinthian consumers
Consumer protection also supported those affected free of charge in enforcing their claims in court. In 2023, a total of 72 lawsuits were filed in court, with a total of 27,803.18 euros won for those affected.
The operating cost check campaign (campaign period June to September) was also successfully carried out. The operating and heating cost bills of 646 apartment complexes were checked, which corresponds to an increase of 198 apartment complexes or 44 percent compared to 2022.
According to the distributions in the various subject areas, it was noticeable that inquiries in the areas of housing (+13 percent), energy (+185 percent) and insurance (+24 percent) had increased, with the cause certainly being due to general inflation everything related to these areas.
The most common requests
In the area of ”general” consumer protection, the most common questions were related to warranties and guarantees, prices and fees, as well as questions about contract termination (termination/withdrawal/cancellation) and the collection of claims and compensation. The focus was on providing consumers with assistance in these legal matters.
In the area of money, the inquiries (2,960 consultations) were primarily aimed at credit and financing issues (housing, consumer loans, leasing, etc.) as well as payment fraud, such as online banking fraud and phishing. Consumer protection was available here to protect consumers from financial risks and attempted fraud.
The telecom/internet sector (2,636 consultations) saw an increase in inquiries about internet fraud, including identity theft and fake shops. Consumer protection addressed this problem in order to raise awareness and protect Internet users from fraudulent activities.
In the insurance sector (2,454 consultations), inquiries focused primarily on service and coverage issues relating to household, homeowners and legal protection insurance. This particularly concerned situations in which policyholders were limited or not compensated at all in the event of damage. Questions about canceling insurance contracts were also addressed.
In the travel area (4,031 consultations), the inquiries were mainly focused on problems related to flights. These included delayed payments or non-payment of compensation and refunds of ticket prices, with Consumer Protection offering support and solutions to affected travelers.
In the residential sector – with a total of 20,089 consultations – in addition to the usual inquiries such as contract termination, rent reduction, mold and the condition of the apartment upon return, there were particularly noticeable inquiries about operating and/or heating cost bills. The issue of inflation, particularly in the areas of energy and services (system support, snow removal) as well as municipal taxes, led to increased inquiries. Compared to the previous year, many tenants were confronted with higher demands for additional payments or significantly reduced credit notifications, which explains the increased need for advice in this area.
The Carinthian Chamber of Labor demands
- Decoupling rents from inflation or limiting adjustments to a maximum of 2% per year.
The rent cap currently approved only applies to tenancies in which the rent is subject to legal regulation. This measure does not apply to “free rent”. As part of a tenancy law reform, this regulation could come into force for all tenancy agreements.
- Suspension of VAT on food
Stop food inflation by temporarily suspending VAT on at least basic foods. Strict price monitoring and controls by a state price commission with the possibility of sanctions would force retailers to pass this on to consumers. Low-income households and middle earners in particular could be noticeably relieved.
- Consumer education as a separate subject in all schools
- Compliance with the Price Marking Act
Increased monitoring of compliance with the basic price labeling prescribed in the Price Labeling Act. Consistent action or punishment for violations.
- Limitation of overdraft interest
The interest rates in the event of an account overdraft are enormous and amount to well over ten percent. People in financial need who only survive by overdrafting their account until the last day of the month are particularly affected by the high additional costs. There needs to be a cap on overdraft interest of up to a maximum of five percent. The interest spreads must be uniform, transparent, comprehensible and, above all, lower. In addition, legal measures are intended to ensure that banks are not allowed to charge account holders “penalty interest”, i.e. negative interest, for balances in their current account. At the same time, up with the interest on deposits: A number of banks only offer zero percent interest on deposits on current accounts, while the interest on overdrafts is on average over ten percent – the interest on deposits on current accounts must also rise!
- Insolvency protection for airlines
The AK calls for an insolvency insurance requirement for airlines, just like for package tours. While tour operators’ customer funds for package tours are insured against insolvency, there is no such regulation for airlines. In addition, insolvency protection should also be extended to vouchers issued by tour operators or airlines.
- Abolish fixed-term rental agreements
The AK is calling for an end to new fixed-term rental contracts – except for the personal use of landlords, their children or grandchildren. Fixed-term tenancies should only be permitted if the landlord has personal needs for himself or a close family member after the fixed-term period.
- Limit advance payments
Flight and event tickets in particular are often bought and paid for well in advance. Consumers therefore pay in advance for weeks or months. If something is canceled, there will be difficulties getting the money back. Therefore, consumers should not
no longer have to pay the full price so long in advance. For example, a small deposit should be made when booking a flight. The remaining amount may only be deducted on the day of the flight.
Questions & Contact:
Carinthia Chamber of Labor
Alexandra Aspernig-Dohr
public relation
050 477-2408
a.aspernig-dohr@akktn.at