The AGCM has fined more than 18 million euros to several car rental companies for using vexatious clauses in their contracts, clauses requiring customers to pay a lump sum for the administrative handling of fines for traffic violations or missed payments.
The penalties were determined because the additional amount charged was not justified by the services actually provided, which were limited to the transmission of the customer’s data to the infraction assessment agency. In addition, the automatic nature of the charge was found to be unjustified.
After the finding of vexatiousness, each company was required to publish an excerpt of the ruling on its website and remove the disputed clause from contract documents.
This action underscores the importance of ensuring that consumers are not subjected to unfair or deceptive practices. Continued vigilance over such unfair terms is critical to maintaining fairness in the marketplace and ensuring that consumer rights are always protected and respected.
