The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) on Tuesday issued public warnings against a number of local businesses, citing cases where they failed to fulfil consumers’ requests.

The MCCAA is the authority tasked with promoting and enhancing competition in Malta, while also safeguarding consumers’ interests and enhancing their welfare.

Dusk and Dawn Company Limited

Dusk and Dawn Company Limited, the operator of Tropicana Hotel in St Julian’s, did not honour the decision of the Consumer Claims Tribunal to pay a consumer €861 related to “a number of shortcomings” at the hotel.

These include an elevator that remained broken during the consumer’s whole accommodation period at the two-star hotel, leading to them having to use the stairs, even though their room was located on the fourth floor of the property.

The MCCAA also ordered Dusk and Dawn Company Limited to pay the costs of the proceedings.

Global Tech

KSL Limited, also known as Global Tech, a solar energy company based in San Ġwann, was warned against for two different cases.

Firstly, the company had been ordered to pay a consumer €2,446.12, comprising the price of one air conditioner (€1,050) bought from the company, and also the damages related to the same air conditioner which caught fire due to faulty installation (€1,396.12).

Additionally, Global Tech was also ordered to refund (€400) an administration fee and deposit paid for solar panels which the Tribunal stated were “never installed”. The company was also ordered to pay the consumer €200 in moral damages for the inconvenience caused, given that they ended up losing the Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS) grant related to the installation of solar panels, “which grant they will be unable to reapply for should they purchase solar panels in the future”.

Global Tech was ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings for both cases.

Gattini Gojja

Roderick Azzopardi, a cat breeder, has been ordered to pay a consumer €900 together with the costs of the proceedings after a Scottish Fold cat that he sold to the consumer had an illness and a potentially fatal chronic virus.

The Tribunal had also found that the breeder failed to provide a fiscal receipt nor a pedigree certificate.

The original payment for the cat was €800, but Mr Azzopardi was also instructed to pay the consumer €100 for the veterinary expenses incurred.

Patrick Grech Woodworks

Patrick Grech, a carpenter trading as Patrick Grech Woodworks, was issued with a warning for failing to deliver a set of bedroom furniture.

The Tribunal ordered him to pay the consumer €690, reflecting the deposit paid on the furniture set, together with the costs of the proceedings.

Alino Giuseppe Alongi

Alino Giuseppe Alongi, Owner of The Jewellers Work Shop Malta, a jewellery servicing and repair store, failed to honour the decision of the Consumer Claims Tribunal ordering him to refund €3,494.06 related to necklace repairs.

In the judgement, the consumer had said that the necklace that was given to them was not the same one that they had originally given to the jeweller.