Stop the bills «threatening» fined Acea, Enel and other big – The Time

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bills do not correspond to actual consumption but insistently requests, billing mechanisms inefficient and too many obstacles to the return of repayments. The competition authority fined competition – to 14.5 million Euros – five big Italian energy: Acea, Edison, Eni, Enel Energia and Enel Electric Service. Guilty, as sanctioned by the Antitrust Authority, to carry on aggressive commercial practices, managing inadequately instances and notices of the many customers who complained of bills relating to energy consumption never made or natural gas. A discrepancy arose from malfunctions of computer systems and billing inefficiencies of the five big. That, however, continued the collection work – including reminders, formal notices and postings, sometimes “surprise” – among customers.

The Antitrust Authority, this type of behavior violates a customer’s basic right: the right to receive adequate and effective support and assessment of their consumption, before proceeding to payment the disputed invoices. Indeed, the threat of continuing the start of collection procedures, according to the authorities, has set up an undue influence of consumer choice and has been sanctioned as an aggressive commercial practice. To this there is also the failure or delay repayment of amounts due to various reasons to end customers. The Authority considered, in fact, that the information and procedures adopted by the five operators have allowed consumers to receive full and timely the amount paid in excess for the supply of electricity or gas.

As regards, then, the two companies of the Enel Group, the Authority has also found the charge to customers of default interest for late payment, even if received their bills late or not delivered, and in the presence of a complaint to that effect. In short: I late, but the delay I pay you. Satisfied consumers, whose reports have ignited the antitrust procedure. “It’s great news,” says Massimiliano Dona National Secretary of Consumers Union. “Enough with the abuses to the detriment of consumers and invented adjustments. Now, however, he must take the field even the legislature. The changes now under discussion in parliament are insufficient. Abuses abound. We urge that the protections are extended and are extended by law even to the free market. ”

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Marco Valeri