News from the Consumers Defence Association

28.04.08 - Foreigners, be aware when exchanging money!
Discrimination by exchange offices in the Czech Republic

When visiting the Czech Republic and wishing to exchange money, bear in mind that you may face discrimination by the exchange office that may offer you less advantaged exchange rate than to a Czech speaking consumer. Czech Consumers Association has recently done a survey which confirmed the fact that there exists two types of exchange offices – one at the touristicly attractive areas designed to „benefit“ from turists and the one more hidden providing better services and offering bigger value for your transactions, however, outside of the turistic places.

Unfortunatelly, as a tourist, you are more likely to end up in the first type of exchange office which may try to take advantage of the fact that you don't understand Czech. For this reason, pay attention and keep in mind that the exchange rates may be a subject of NEGOTIATIONS. Czechs are usually informed of this by a little notice which may not be, as is often the case, translated into English. Therefore, always try to negotiate the exchange rate and thus, to avoid discrimination.

03.03.08 - SOS antidiscrimination hotline now in English to help foreign consumers in the Czech Republic

SOS in cooperation with Iuridicum Remedium runs antidiscrimination hotline as of July 2007 within a project What is and what is not disrimination which concentrates on discrimination of consumers. As one of the most common discrimination we have experienced so far is discrimination on the grounds of citizenship, the hotline with telephone number 222 762 222 (with a tarif equal to local calls) newly serves also foreigners coming to the Czech Republic and facing discrimination. Click for further information.

21.02.08 - A big change is coming on the ground of plane-tickets. The company SkyEurope promised that it will stop advertising the cost without obligatory payments. The reason is “to play fair”. The associations Garde EPS and SOS brought an action against this practice of SkyErupe in 2006. The action is just being proceed in the Appeal Court.

15.02.08 - The February issue of the magazine Test, which is a part of the marketing offer of SOS, includes a lot of information about cars safety in scope of the initiation Euro NCAP. Consumers’ organizations took active role in the beginning of car-crash tests and there has been significant improvement.

06.02.08 - SOS has received a number of consumers’ claims of non-solving warranty claims of UPC CZ, the company which had bought competition company Karneval recently. Just after this act consumers’ problems began. SOS analyzed these claims and after that we invoked UPC to improve the current situation. In reply UPC presented certain steps for improvement.

30.01.08 - SOS celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Since its establishment, it has given over 125.000 advices. The top consumers’ problems are connected to the warranty claims, especially with electronic devices, cells, telecommunication and financial services. In 2008, the ambition of SOS and its members are great. We would like to help 50.000 or more consumers.

30.01.08 - SOS offers on-line course at www.spotrebitele.info, it is free of charge. The course was created by financial support of the EU project Transition Facility. This course deals with the consumers’ discrimination complexly.

28.01.08 - In January consumers using their cars must pay obligatory car insurance. Payment of this insurance can be lower due to the current price of the car. Many consumers are not informed well about this opportunity. SOS advices to contact insurance company for detail and up-dated information and in case of any problem you can call SOS hot line 900 08 08 08 [ 8 CZK / min].

28.01.08 - SOS takes a part in various international projects. Two of them are just finishing. One of them is the project Radically Safe. The goal of this project is a consumers’ protection on the ground of radically sports. It includes comparison of protection equipments, safety of these sports, information of risks and proposals for national and community legislation. Another one is the project called Improving Positions of Consumers Organizations. The goal of this project is to compare, contrast and improve the position of each organization in its country. Totally 13 organizations of European countries participate.

09.01.08 - Since January many public transit companies have increased the cost of public mass transport. Some of the companies limited the validation of the previous unused tickets and eliminated a possibility to change them. SOS invoked to permit returning or changing the unused tickets. Yesterday the public transit company KORDIS JMK, Ltd. (South Moravia) informed that they changed their decision due to our request and they will be changing the unused tickets.

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