On the day that World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated, Deco defends the urgent resolution of problems that harm the rights and interests of consumers in priority sectors, namely essential public services and banking.
In relation to the financial sector, it suggests that the possibility of deducting interest on loans for own and permanent housing be resumed for all loans and restore the 30% limit, as well as eliminating commissions for early repayment in the variable rate regime and reducing the its value to 0.5% in the fixed rate regime and create a list or database of IBANs and Multibanco references used in fraud, through a centralized registry.
“The crisis has reinforced the vulnerability of consumers in the face of market dynamics, coupled with digitalization with the consequent exclusion of citizens from minimum services, as well as the increase in fraudulent situations without guarantees of compensation for the damage caused”, says the association.
But the suggested changes don’t stop there. In relation to telecommunications, he states that they must reinforce consumer protection, through efficient supervision and the creation of quality indicators and commercial regulation parameters.
And, in this way, it suggests reviewing the Electronic Communications Law with the prohibition of price updates during the loyalty period; approve a Quality of Service and Commercial Relations Regulation for all electronic communications and postal services provided to consumers, adapt the social internet tariff, including it in the different tariff options and guarantee greater access for vulnerable consumers.
Regarding energy, the association recalls that “energy bills have a significant impact on household income and, given the volatility of prices in this market and the energy transition, consumers have to be very demanding regarding the quality of services and in your protection when hiring”.
And it recommends accelerating the activation of telemetering on already installed smart meters, reducing estimated billing, reducing VAT to 6% on all components of the energy bill, reviewing the criteria for attributing the social tariff on electricity and natural gas, adapting the requirement annual income compared to current standards.
Regarding water, the association says that “in view of the increase in the cost of living and the possibility of higher tariffs, it is important to adopt measures that promote an effective tariff policy suited to the interests of consumers, especially in a context of scarcity. Better service quality standards are also called for, penalizing less innovative and efficient management entities”.
And it requires creating a sanctioning regime and a contracting model harmonized with the tariff structure, avoiding the charging of inappropriate fees, guaranteeing the application of a social tariff for water, supply and waste services in a mandatory, automatic and subject to criteria harmonized and reinforce ERSAR’s regulatory powers and approve a Service Quality Regulation
