Italy's antitrust authority announced on Thursday (09) that it has fined Drivalia and five other car rental companies in the country for a total of €18 million (around R$100 million) for charging false fees, which violated consumer rights.
Beyond the Drivalia Leasys Rent, the Italian antitrust authority (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato) said it had imposed the fines on Avis Budget Italia, Italian Hertz, Centauro Rent a Car Italy, Green Motion Italy e To rent.
The authority said it had fined companies for including clauses in rental contracts that allowed them to impose “unjustified” fees on customers, reported state broadcaster Rai.
It is not uncommon for anyone who has driven a rental car in Italy to receive a letter months later informing them of a traffic violation or parking fine.
Rental companies are required to pass on the contact details of international drivers to the police to enable them to issue the fine directly to the driver.
But some drivers mistakenly report believing that the rental company paid the fine on their behalf and passed on the cost, as many charge a “handling fee” averaging 40 to 60 euros to pass on your details — which is often higher than the value of the fine itself.
Such handling charges were not justifiable, the antitrust authority said, regardless of the wording of the contract.
In addition to being fined, the companies were ordered to remove these clauses from contract forms, the authority said, “because they could cause a significant imbalance in consumers' rights and obligations.”
Unexpected fees and charges are a common complaint among drivers renting cars in Italy, with some also reporting being unfairly charged by rental companies for damage and items allegedly missing from the vehicle.
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