The introduction of fines in Russia for the imposition of additional services. What does this mean for consumers?

Important changes and consequences of the new law.

Vladimir Putin signed a law imposing fines for imposing additional goods and services on consumers. The document, published on the official portal of legal information, provides for punishment for those who violate this law. In this article, we will tell you what additional services are, what changes the new law has brought and how consumers can abandon the imposed services.

What are additional services?

Additional services are additional offers that are offered to customers at the time of purchase. For example, banks can offer such services when applying for a loan. These services must be clearly stated in the contract, and the client must have the right to refuse them.

The list of additional services may include a variety of options, from insurance to guaranteed low interest rates and SMS notification. For example, the “guaranteed low rate” service allows you to reduce the interest rate on a loan for a certain period, but you will need to pay a commission for this, which depends on the term and the initial rate. As a result, the client may face additional costs.

SMS notification, as another example, provides a reminder service about the upcoming payment deadline. For this, the client will charge an additional amount on a monthly basis. It is also a popular practice to impose accessories, for example, when buying smartphones. Banks may present this as an opportunity to extend the loan term, for example, by offering three years instead of one, but at the same time the client is obliged to pay for additional accessories. Insurance is also one of the additional services, especially when buying cars or equipment.

However, a mandatory type of insurance is property insurance if the loan is secured by real estate. This provides the bank with a guarantee of a refund, even if the borrower is unable to make payments on the loan. Other types of insurance, such as life, health, or purchase insurance, are optional, and the customer can opt out of them.

What has the law brought and what changes are expected?

The new law supplements the Code of Administrative Offences in Russia with new provisions that impose fines for imposing additional goods, works or services before concluding a contract for the purchase of basic goods. This means that you cannot demand payment for additional services if the client did not agree with them before completing the main transaction. Now fines for violators include the following:

For officials — from 2 thousand to 4 thousand rubles.

For legal entities — from 20 thousand to 40 thousand rubles.

In addition, the new law introduces penalties for unjustified refusal or evasion of consideration of consumer claims related to violation of their rights. The penalties in this case are as follows:

For officials — from 15 thousand to 30 thousand rubles.

For legal entities — from 100 thousand to 300 thousand rubles.

How to get rid of the imposed extras. services?

Consumers now have the right to refuse the imposed additional services. To do this, it is important to carefully read the contract before signing and note all the additional services that you do not want to purchase. If you encounter a violation of the law, you can contact the relevant authorities and demand that your rights be respected.

The new law in Russia is designed to protect the interests of consumers from the imposition of additional services and goods.

This means that customers can now be assured that no additional services will be imposed on them without their explicit consent. These changes are designed to promote a fairer and more honest relationship between entrepreneurs and consumers.

Consumers should be careful when making deals and carefully read all contracts before signing them. If you are faced with the imposition of additional services, do not hesitate to defend your rights and contact the competent authorities.

These changes in legislation will help strengthen consumer confidence in the market of goods and services in Russia. Now entrepreneurs and companies must comply with the rules and provide full information about additional services so as not to violate the law and not expose themselves to the risk of receiving fines. Ultimately, this contributes to a fairer and more transparent relationship between entrepreneurs and consumers in Russia.

A bit of history in this matter

Previously, the imposition of additional services on customers was unacceptable and contrary to the law “On Consumer Protection”. According to this law, the buyer has the right to refuse to conclude additional contracts during the purchase of goods. The imposition of such services and accessories was a violation of the law and led to losses for the consumer. Article 16 of this law clearly stated that losses caused to the consumer as a result of violation of his right to free choice of goods, works or services must be reimbursed by the seller or contractor in full.

Is it possible to opt out of additional services and how to do it?

Since December 2021, amendments to Federal Law No. 353-FZ dated 12/21/2013 “On Consumer Credit (Loan)” have entered into force, which are designed to combat the imposition of additional paid services.

Citizens now have the right to refuse paid services that were imposed on them by the bank in addition to the loan. The borrower has the right to return the money paid for the service, but taking into account the actual costs incurred for the provision of the service at the time of refusal. The deadline for possible refusal is 14 calendar days. The same rule applies to insurance. During the cooling off period, the borrower has the right to terminate the insurance contract and return his money.

Opinion of PBK “YOUNG CONSULT”

Changes in legislation are designed to provide more reliable protection of consumers’ rights from the imposition of additional services. Now consumers have the right to refuse and refund money for services that were imposed on them without their consent. These rules promote fairer and more honest relations between entrepreneurs and consumers in Russia, and protect the interests of those who use credit and insurance services.