חוק הגנת הצרכן (תיקון מס' 44), התשע"ו-2016Law for consumer protection (Amendment No. 44), 2016 · automatic translation · suggest a correction

Official summary of the law (Knesset)

The Consumer Protection Law (Amendment No. 44), 2016 (hereinafter - Amendment No. 44), was passed in second and third reading on 29 February 2016. The Consumer Protection Law, 1981, in its current wording, establishes provisions regarding a transaction for a fixed period, which also includes a transaction in which the consumer is given a benefit for a certain period. As a general rule, the provisions of the Law do not allow a dealer to continue charging the consumer for a transaction for a fixed period beyond the period agreed with the consumer, or during which a benefit is given to the consumer, but there are exceptions to this rule. However, consumers sometimes find it difficult to track the end date of the transaction or benefit, and are unaware of its approaching end, and as a result, they are sometimes charged higher amounts than those agreed upon between them and the dealer at the time the transaction was entered into. Accordingly, in a transaction for a fixed period for which the consumer pays in installments, via standing order or credit card charge authorization, the Law provides that the dealer must notify the consumer of the transaction's end date during a period between 60 days and 30 days before the transaction's end date. In addition, the dealer is required to state the transaction's end date in a written contract with the consumer, if one exists, or in a disclosure document given to the consumer before entering into a distance sale transaction, as well as in every invoice, receipt or payment notice sent to the consumer during the three months before the transaction's end date. Amendment No. 44 expands the dealer's obligations to notify the consumer of the transaction's end date, in two ways: First, the amendment provides that the statement of the transaction's end date in an invoice, receipt or payment notice sent to the consumer will be presented with special emphasis and in clear, legible letters. Second, the amendment adds to the notification methods established in the Law, and requires the dealer to also notify the consumer of the transaction's end date via text message, to the consumer's mobile phone number, 21 days before the transaction's end date, unless this falls on a Sabbath or holiday, in which case the text message will be sent on the day following the Sabbath or holiday. The amendment will enter into force at the end of three months from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, and it will also apply to transactions for a fixed period entered into before its entry into force, subject to the following provisions: Regarding the statement of the transaction's end date in an invoice, receipt or payment notice, with special emphasis and in clear, legible letters, the amendment will apply to transactions for a fixed period entered into before the amendment's entry into force, provided that the transaction's or commitment's end date is at least three months after the amendment's entry into force. Regarding notifying the consumer of the transaction's end date also via text message, the amendment will apply to transactions for a fixed period entered into before the amendment's entry into force, provided that the transaction's or commitment's end date is at least 21 days after the amendment's entry into force.

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Sponsors

Merav Ben Ari, Roy Folkman, Rachel Azaria, Yoel Hasson, Yehiel Hilik Bar, Mickey Levy, Yael German, Eli Cohen, Tali Ploskov, Michael Oren, Yoav Kisch