San Marino. Chaos tolls, the Consumer Desk writes to Società Autostrade
The San Marino Consumer Desk writes to Autostrade per l’Italia asking for clarification on the case of missed motorway tolls.
“As part of its action to protect citizens, also in the context of the collaboration in place with other San Marino consumer associations, and on the basis of the many cases of users who have contacted the Consumer Desk, the same Desk has sent a letter to the company Autostrade per l’Italia, to the company Nivi (credit recovery) and for information to the Secretariat of State for Foreign Affairs, on the matter of the alleged non-payment of motorway tolls, mostly dating back to several years ago “.
Letter signed by the President Emanuel Santolini and by the Legal Advisor of the Consumer Office Avv. Marina Pedini.
In the first place, it is noted that the recipients of communications by ordinary mail recently from Nivi SpA, as agent of Società Autostrade per l’Italia SpA – which understandably caused disappointment and aroused considerable “perplexity” – have never received previously reminders or communications of any kind regarding the alleged non-payment of motorway tolls charged to them.
Despite the long time that has elapsed, many citizens or residents have only now seen such solicit addresses, with further burdens for them by way of “collection and verification costs”, which is not justified in any way. In fact – underlines the letter from the Consumer Desk – a timely communication would have allowed users to carry out checks on the actual existence of the obligation to pay the requested sums, or to ascertain any errors incurred, with the possibility of remedying any pending case, if the request was justified.
Going into the merits of the reports received, those assisted by the Consumer Desk testify that they have always regularly paid the motorway tolls, in some cases using Telepass / Viacard as a payment instrument on accounts with the necessary credit.
There was also the extreme case of a user who demonstrated, with documentary evidence in hand, that at the time he had closed the contract with Telepass, who had returned the security deposit paid; restitution which takes place, as is known, except for an adjustment for any credits, which, conversely, have not been reported on account.
The letter also points out that, in many cases, the prescription has been irreversibly taken, with consequent non-collection of the sums requested.
Finally, from the careful examination of the Autostrade Service Charter it is literally noted that: “In rare cases it may happen that the toll is not paid at the same time as the transit due to lack of money, incorrect reading of the cards, due to insufficient credit , etc. Under no circumstances is it allowed to reverse and, in automatic doors, press the assistance request button and wait for the operator’s response. If it is not possible to solve the problem, the plate is photographed and a receipt is issued containing a Non-Payment Report… “.
We therefore ask ourselves, legitimately, why in the reported cases this did not happen and the barrier of the motorway tollbooth was raised regularly, to allow the passage of vehicles, probably as proof of payment. It is understood that in cases where the non-payment report has been issued and the user has not subsequently paid the toll, the corresponding amount must be paid, without prejudice to any prescription.
The Sportello Consumatori Association therefore awaits a reply from the recipients of the letter, hoping for exhaustive and timely answers, in the common interest of correctly defining the pending questions, and after having provided the necessary explanations.
Finally, we would like to inform you that following requests from consumer associations, the Secretariat of State for Foreign Affairs is organizing a meeting with the same associations and with the company Nivi SpA. We therefore await the call of this meeting ”.