ABOUT US | In which cases can the ECC Luxembourg help me?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n Has your flight been cancelled or delayed, does your online purchase not happen as planned, are you victim of a scam, do you have an issue with a delivery or, in general, have your European consumer rights not been respected? The ECC Luxembourg can help you!<\/p>\r\n ABOUT US | Are your services free of charge?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n Yes. Our services are completely free of charge.<\/p>\r\n ABOUT US | How do I contact you?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n There are several ways to contact us:<\/p>\r\n TRAVEL | My doctor has deemed me unfit to travel. Can I cancel my flight ticket?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n Cancellation of the ticket is only possible if you have purchased a ticket that can be changed or cancelled, which is usually not the case. In most cases, it will only be possible to cancel your ticket due to illness if you have taken out cancellation insurance. You will need to contact the insurance company directly to request a refund.<\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | I have a gift card but the trader refuses to accept it because the validity date has expired. What are my rights?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n In Luxembourg, in Belgium as well as in France, the trader can freely fix the terms and conditions for his gift cards. Thus a gift card whose date has expired is no longer valid. However, as a good will gesture, certain traders accept to extend the validity date or to reimburse the consumer. This is however not a legal obligation.<\/p>\r\n In Germany, according to the law, gift cards can be limited in time, however the validity period of the card cannot be too short. As for example, a Court in Munich considered that the delay of one year was not sufficient. German law also allows for a reimbursement of the gift card, if it is not used during the validity period (the seller could apply some fees).<\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | I have just received an invoice from a company I don’t know. What should I do?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n Before paying, make sure that you have actually entered into an onerous contract with the company. If you are convinced that you do not owe the sum claimed, ask for proof of the conclusion of a contract by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. In general, there are various indications that this is probably a fraudulent e-mail:<\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | Can I retract when I make a purchase in a store?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n No. A right of withdrawal only exists for distance purchases (by telephone etc.) or through the Internet. It is possible that the store makes a gesture by agreeing to reimburse you by giving back your money or a voucher. A legal obligation for the seller to reimburse you does not exist. Please take notice that the situation is different when purchasing a defective good.<\/p>\r\n Check our “In-store purchasing” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | I bought an electronic device on a French website, which claims that the guarantee is for 1 year. Is this legal? <\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n The legal guarantee is 2 years for all new products in the European Union. This guarantee is applicable even if it is not provided in the contract.<\/p>\r\n Check our “Guarantee” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | I ordered a personalised calendar from an English website, but I don’t like the result. The site refuses my right to withdraw. Do I have any rights?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n You do not have a right of withdrawal for all your purchases on the internet. For a number of goods, there is no right of withdrawal and this is particularly the case for goods personalised according to the customer.<\/p>\r\n Check our “Online purchasing” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | I want to order tickets online. How do I know if the site is reliable?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n On the Internet you will find many sites selling tickets. Some offer expensive tickets even before the official dealers have the right to sell.<\/p>\r\n Before you purchase tickets online, make sure that the website is an official reseller. In general, artists and organizers offer links to reliable resellers on their websites.<\/p>\r\n Check our “Online purchasing” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | During an exhibition in Luxembourg, I have ordered furniture. Can I cancel this order within 14 days?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n No, for a sale during a trade fair or exhibition in Luxembourg you have no right of withdrawal, as for example for door-to-door sales.<\/p>\r\n The sale is final if the contract has been signed. If you still want to withdraw from the purchase, break-up fees are likely.<\/p>\r\n Check our “off-premises purchases” for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | I ordered two tickets for a concert online, but shortly after ordering them I found out that I cannot attend the concert. Can I get a refund?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n No, the law excludes any right of withdrawal for distance selling of concert tickets. However, it is possible that the seller has voluntarily offered you a right of withdrawal or a right to exchange the tickets. So read the general terms and conditions carefully before buying online.<\/p>\r\n Check our “right of withdrawal” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SHOPPING | How to know the obligations of professionals towards consumers, whether in terms of information, price indication, guarantees or commercial practices.<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n The Ministry for Consumer Protection has published a guide dedicated specifically to retailers. It explains, theme by theme, avoiding purely legal language, the obligations of professionals as specified in the Code of Consumption. The aim is to put consumers on an equal footing with traders and to foster mutual trust.<\/p>\r\n The guide currently consists of 11 thematic sheets, available in French, German and English; additional files will be added regularly. It is available on request from the MPC (info@mpc.etat.lu<\/a>). The files can be downloaded from the Ministry’s website (pro-pc.public.lu),<\/a> where it is also possible to subscribe to updates of existing files and new publications.<\/p>\r\n REAL ESTATE | Mr. M. from Luxembourg wants to rent a property in Germany, which is put on the market through an real estate agent in Luxembourg. The landlord of the property lives in Germany. Who has to pay the broker’s commission? Mr. M. or the landlord who has commissioned the broker?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n The answer to this question depends on whether German or Luxembourg law applies.<\/p>\r\n In Germany, the so-called “Bestellerprinzip” applies in principle to the letting of residential property. This means that the person who has commissioned the agent must pay the agent’s commission. Under Luxembourg law, the tenant can be engaged to pay the commission even if the landlord has commissioned the broker.<\/p>\r\n Since in this case the property is located in Germany, the landlord resides in Germany and the broker was commissioned by the landlord, there is a predominant reference to German law, which thus, in our opinion, applies.<\/p>\r\n In this respect, the “Bestellerprinzip” is, in our opinion, also applicable if – as in our case – Mr. M. and the broker are domiciled in Luxembourg. That is why the broker’s commission in the present case and in our opinion has to be paid by the landlord and not by Mr. M.<\/p>\r\n VEHICLES | When I buy a second-hand car, the warranty is valid for how many years?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n For a second-hand car, the seller can reduce the warranty to one year.<\/p>\r\n Check our “Purchasing a vehicle” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n VEHICLE | If I buy a car in a country of the European Union, which VAT do I have to pay?<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n A new car: you pay the price without VAT. If you import the vehicle into your country, you pay the VAT applicable there.<\/p>\r\n A second-hand car: you pay the price including VAT of the country where you buy it. The VAT of the country of the seller is applicable.<\/p>\r\n These rules apply to sales between individuals and dealers. For sales between individuals, in principle, no VAT is applied.<\/p>\r\n Be careful, if you bought a vehicle that looks as new to customs officers. They may require that you have to pay the VAT of your country on arrival. The seller may in turn be paid back the VAT paid for the vehicle. This mechanism prevents double taxation.<\/p>\r\n Check our “Purchasing a vehicle” section for more information.<\/p>\r\n SCAM | I received an e-mail from my financial institution. They explain that there are problems with my account and want me to note my username and password.<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n This is “phishing”. Fraudsters are using this method to get hold of your personal data in order to access your account. A bank or financial institution will never ask you to enter your personal details via e-mail.<\/p>\r\n Check our “Scams” section for more information.<\/a><\/p>\r\n SCAM | I received an e-mail, informing me: This is only a small selection of frauds. Every day new stories are invented to coax you to sending your money. Do not answer these letter \/ e-mails. Generally you are asked to pay a certain amount of money before the money is transferred (in most cases by “Western Union”. Be careful, this payment is not safe!) in order for the funds to be released.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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– that I have won a large sum of money in a lottery (Spanish or other)
– that I am the sole heir of a person having lived abroad for a long time.
– that a wealthy person has died during a civil war and one needs my help to transfer the money out of the country.<\/a> Expand<\/i><\/a><\/p>\r\n