Record Year For Consumer Complaints

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Last year was a record year for complaints to the Consumer Inspectorate, with over 13,000 written complaints. Electricity providers, newspapers, and the telecommunucation industry are regulars.

 

Most of the complaints were regarding telemarketers for electricity providers tying to make a sale and giving misleading promises. That alone produced over 1,500 complaints last year.

“Many consumers experience being contacted by electricity provider telemarketers who offer subscriptions that prove to cost more than they give the impression of,” said Elisabeth Lier Haugseth, Director of Consumer Authorization (former Consumer Ombudsman).

“Electricity use presents a significant cost to consumers, and this is a market we will also follow closely in the year to come,” she says.

Many also complain that they are being contacted by newspaper telemarketers despite having their numbers blocked from telephone sales.

In addition, many people are quite bothered that they keep on receiving free newspapers and/or unaddressed advertising, despite having themselves reserved against it.

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today