The Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) decided that WEIP, acting as a paid car park operator, including those at hospitals, must return the money to drivers. The company did not take the complaint into account, incorrectly informed about the procedures for submitting them, threatened to charge collection and enforcement costs.
WEIP is simply a company managing commercial parking lots, including hospitals and buying malls. According to information from the UOKiK, there were many complaints about the practices of this operator. Upon completion of the investigation, the president of UOKiK obliged the company to reimburse customers for incorrect calls to pay due to deficiency of a parking ticket.
The company charged additional charges even in situations where the client proved in the complaint that he had a valid parking ticket at the time of the additional charge. It was cases where the ticket was not placed in a visible position behind the vehicle window, e.g. it fell on the mat or the client had it with him all the time.
The Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (OCT) states that the company has introduced clauses into its rules of procedure that inform that, in the event of a non-payment of an additional charge, a recovery and enforcement procedure will be initiated against the consumer, for which it will always be required to regulate costs.
The company's claim was categorical and pointed to the inevitability of these events. So transmitted, misled consumers and aimed at creating unjustified concerns, which resulted in the payment of the fees requested by the company, we read in the communication.
According to the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK), thousands of complaints were received all year to large Electronics of Import and Production (WEIP), most of which were to be rejected, frequently – according to UOKiK – not justified. Another crucial issue was misleading consumers about how to complain. The company suggested that it was only possible to usage the form available on the website or to send a letter, while the complaint could besides be made by email or personally.
The number of complaints against parking managers from year to year increases, so we consistently verify the reliability of these entrepreneurs. We are constantly puzzled by the cases of consumer charges, even though the allowed parking time has not expired or we ignore legitimate complaints where the consumer was able to prove having a parking ticket. We do not question the strategy of paid parking places, but wrongly charged additional fees and obstruction of the complaint process – says president of the Office Tomasz Chróstny.
WEIP – decision of the president of UOKiK
All drivers who have received an additional call after 1 January 2020, despite having a valid parking ticket with a registered vehicle number at the time of issue of the call, are entitled to refund unjustified fees. The same applies to those who received specified a call at indicated parking lots and despite the addition of a valid parking ticket their complaint was rejected. In the event of difficulties, consumers may request a refund from the large Electronics of Import and Production (WEIP), citing the decision of the president of UOKiK.
According to the information provided by the UOKiK, persons entitled to reimbursement and lodged a complaint will be informed individually of this fact.
"In addition, the entrepreneur has changed the complaint procedure and will remove from the rules, website and form of call for additional charge, misleading content" - We read.
The decision of the UOKiK is final.
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