Over 700 thousand euros in fines total for unfair business practices in the sale of photovoltaic systems. The sanctions, imposed by the Antitrust, affect three companies: Green Style Renewable Energies (480 thousand euros) and the financial ones Fiditalia (117 thousand euros) e Santander Consumer Bank (135 thousand euros).
According to the Competition and Market Authority, Green Style Renewable Energies "has adopted unfair commercial conduct towards consumers", reads the press release. In particular, the Antitrust points the finger against "misleading ways of presenting sales agents which, to engage the customer, used the brands of well-known operators in the energy sector".
Not only that: the customers also came induced to unknowingly sign contracts purchase and installation of photovoltaic systems and ancillary loan agreements. All after amisleading description of economic benefits deriving from the purchase of the plant - continues the Authority - of the price and methods of payment of the same and of the real nature of the contractual obligations deriving from the forms presented and signed by the consumers".
Finally, during the transactions, Green Style Energie Rinnovabili omitted some information that it was obliged to provide on the methods and times for exercising the right of withdrawal.
As regards the two financial companies, according to the Antitrust, Fiditalia and Santander Consumer Bank have not "prepared adequate measures to control the effective willingness of consumers to apply for a loan and, therefore, the genuine acquisition of their consent, thus contributing to the 'activation of unsolicited loan agreements'.
During the investigation, the Authority collaborated with the Special Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza.
