Consumer Affairs
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Consumer Affairs director general issues public statement
The director general, Consumer Affairs, Josephine Borg, has issued a public statement in accordance with Article 8 of the Consumer Affairs Act (Cap.378), in which she said that Pierre Camilleri of Aqualux has not honoured the decision delivered by...
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Solar panels not delivered
Q: Five months ago I ordered solar panels from a local seller, who assured me that these would be delivered to me and installed on my property within one month. Unfortunately, to date, these solar panels have neither been delivered nor installed.
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Weekly consumer advice
▪ Credit notes should not be offered when consumers are legally entitled to a money refund. ▪ Company policies can neither diminish nor take away consumers’ legal rights. ▪ When consumers change their mind about a purchase, sellers are not obliged...
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Disclaimer
The information published in this page is intended for information purposes only. Any legal claim or action taken in the event of a dispute should be based solely on the legal texts concerned. For more information, call the Office for Consumer...
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Our responsibility before signing a sales contract
Who reads the terms and conditions of a sales contract before signing it? We all should but, in reality, only a few people actually read contracts. Unfortunately, we only read a contract when we encounter a problem and want to double check what we...
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CCT decision – damaged mobile phone
Eight months after purchasing a mobile phone for €345, the consumer realised that the phone was not functioning well. The consumer reported the problem to the seller who, upon seeing the phone, informed the consumer that if it came into contact...
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Weekly advice
▪ It is our responsibility to carefully read contract clauses before signing standard contracts. ▪ Contract clauses that diminish our consumer rights are considered unfair and hence are not legally binding. ▪ No terms can prohibit us from...
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Disclaimer
The information published in this page is intended for information purposes only. Any legal claim or action taken in the event of a dispute should be based solely on the legal texts concerned. For more information, call the Office for Consumer...
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Counterfeit products: What are they? What are our rights?
Within international, European and national legislation, one can find various definitions for counterfeit products. The EU Regulation (EC) No 608/2013 defines counterfeit products as goods that are the subject of an act infringing the trademark...
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Increased shipping charge
Q: I ordered some products from the UK that the seller was not able to ship to me in Malta. To get these products I had to arrange shipment through a local freight company. Prior to concluding the purchase of the products I got a quote from a...
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Disclaimer
The information published in this page is intended for information purposes only. Any legal claim or action taken in the event of a dispute should be based solely on the legal texts concerned. For more information, call the Office for Consumer...
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Commission proposes stronger rights, more effective enforcement
Last Wednesday, the European Commission adopted the New Deal for Consumers package. Through this proposal the Commission commits to strengthen EU consumer rights and enforcement by ensuring that all European consumers fully benefit from their...
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New corporate identity for MCCAA
Last Thursday, the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) launched its new corporate identity and new logo at a presentation delivered by the authority’s chairperson Helga Pizzuto in the presence of the Parliamentary Secretary...
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Disclaimer
The information published in this page is intended for information purposes only. Any legal claim or action taken in the event of a dispute should be based solely on the legal texts concerned. For more information, call the Office for Consumer...
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Buying goods from abroad – how are we protected?
As consumers we may sometimes choose to buy the goods we need from a foreign country. Such purchases are usually done physically while actually visiting the country or online. When we decide to make such purchases we are often blinded by the...
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Vacuum cleaner guarantee
Q: I recently sent my vacuum cleaner to be repaired under guarantee. After the repair I was given a technical report about the works done; it was written that the vacuum cleaner’s motor was replaced. When I saw this I enquired regarding the...
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Problems with brand new motorcycle
Q: I recently purchased a new motorcycle. A few hours after I picked it up I noticed that there was rust on its chassis. Is it legal for a trader to sell a motorcycle with rust and claim it is new? I also noticed that the motorcycle has a missing...
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Weekly advice
• We should always check what kind of commercial guarantee the foreign seller is offering before concluding the purchase. • Local sellers selling the same brand of the product purchased are not automatically responsible of an international...
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Disclaimer
The information published in this page is intended for information purposes only. Any legal claim or action taken in the event of a dispute should be based solely on the legal texts concerned. For more information, call the Office for Consumer...
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Our rights when buying from an individual
More people are opting to buy the products they need second hand from private sellers. Private sales sites are gaining in popularity as they have made private selling and buying easy to carry out. Should we decide to purchase something from an...
