The Antitrust shines a light on the companies of water services. The Authority intervened to enforce the discipline of two-year prescription, which Italian consumers can also apply for water from 2020 January XNUMX. In essence, it is the right to do not pay amounts referring to consumption dating back more than two years before the date of issue of the bill.
The Authority's investigations revealed that several water service companies did not apply the two-year prescription correctly, refusing to accept user requests e failing to indicate in the bills the credits that can be prescribed. The Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (Arera) has in fact obliged operators to inform users of the credits that can be prescribed and to send a form to allow them to exercise this right.
According to the Antitrust, by refusing short-term prescription requests, companies have "unduly induced consumers to pay amounts, often large, relating to prescribed consumption - reads a note - thus nullifying the effects that the new legislation intends to counter, or the late issue of balance invoices relating to consumption dating back to more than two years earlier”.
Not only that: also "the absence of adequate information on the two-year limitation period may hinder the exercise of contractual prerogatives, inducing consumers to pay amounts for which, however, it would have been possible to plead the limitation period".
For these reasons, the Authority has initiated five investigative proceedings for alleged unfair commercial practices against two Sicilian companies (Sasi and Eas) and the Municipalities of Ragusa, Cassino and Prata Sannita.
Furthermore, the Antitrust has asked a series of other operators (Acea, Gori, Alto Calore, Abc Napoli, Ruzzo Reti, Amap and Consorzio Acquedottistico Marsicano) to "remove the information omissions in order to provide users with the possibility of objecting to the prescription of such amounts or to request reimbursement if they have already been paid".
