Know Your Rights: Prescription charges Question I have a medical card but I seem to be paying more than the monthly cap for prescription charges for my family. Why would this happen and how can I get a refund? Answer (December 2017) If you have a medical card, there is a charge for each prescription item you receive. From 1 January 2018, the prescription charge is reduced from €2.50 to €2.00 per item, up to a maximum of €20 per month per person or family (previously, the maximum was €25 per month). Usually your pharmacy keeps records of how much you have paid in prescription charges and makes sure that you do not pay more than the limit each month. However, you may use different pharmacies in the same month, or your family members may not be set up as a family group, and you may end up paying more than the maximum. If this happens, the Health Service Executive (HSE) will issue a refund without the need for you to apply for it. This is done on the basis of the information received from pharmacies. You can set up your family as a family group on https://www.sspcrs.ie/portal/medapp/groupfind.jsp (see link below) and print off a family certificate to give to your pharmacist. This will show all of the members of your family so that your pharmacy will not collect charges above the monthly limit. Your family is defined as you, your spouse or partner, any children under 16 years of age and any children between 16 and 21 years of age who are in full-time education. If you do not have access to the internet, you can ask your Local Health Office to help with setting up a family group. You can also call the HSE on 1890 252 919 or ask your local pharmacist, who may be able to help you.

Know Your Rights: Consumer rights during sales Question What are my consumer rights when I buy something in the sales? Can I return sales items? Answer (December 2017) Your consumer rights during a sale are exactly the same as at any other time of the year. Your rights do not change just because you bought the item in a sale. Goods should be of merchantable quality, fit for their intended purpose and as described. If they are not, you are entitled to a repair, replacement or refund. If you are entitled to a refund because there is a fault with goods that you bought at full price, you should be refunded the amount you paid even if they are now on sale at a reduced price. Shop notices such as “No Refunds” or “No Exchanges” do not limit your rights, if you have a complaint about faulty items. Some shops display these notices, particularly during the sales, but this does not take away your rights under consumer protection law if the goods are faulty. However, you are not entitled to a refund because you change your mind about something you have bought in a shop, whether this is during the sales or at any other time of the year. Many shops do allow you to exchange goods that you have had second thoughts about, but this is at their discretion. It is a good idea to check the shop’s refund policy before buying anything. If you buy goods at full price but change your mind about them, and they are now on sale at a lower price, you may only be offered the reduced amount (if the shop is willing to offer a refund). You should always keep your receipts as proof of purchase and the price paid. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the shop receipt. You could show your credit or debit card statement (if you used one) or other documentation that proves it was purchased. For more information, visit the website of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission at https://www.ccpc.ie/ in the link below.

Comparing mobile phone price plans This news item was posted on December 15, 2017 ComReg, the Commission for Communications Regulation, has launched a new online tool to enable consumers to compare mobile phone price plans. It can also be used to compare landline, broadband and TV bundles. The tool is available on comreg.ie. Please see below link: https://www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services

Know Your Rights: Buying goods online This news item was posted on December 1, 2017 Question I have ordered a few presents from a Belgian website. Can I return them if I change my mind when I get them? Answer (November 2017) Online purchases from businesses based in the EU are covered by the EU Directive on Consumer Rights. Under this Directive you are entitled to a cooling-off period of 14 days. During the cooling-off period, you can cancel distance contracts such as online purchases without giving a reason and without incurring charges or penalties, other than possible charges incurred in returning the goods. The 14-day cooling-off period begins on the day that you receive the goods. Upon cancellation, the distance seller is obliged to repay you within 14 days, including delivery costs. If you chose a more expensive type of delivery than the seller’s cheapest standard delivery, you are only entitled to be refunded the cost of the cheaper delivery type. The seller can withhold the repayment until the goods are returned or until you supply evidence that you have sent the goods back. You must send the goods back within 14 days of informing the seller of the cancellation. You may have to pay for the cost of returning them. The seller must inform you of such costs before you complete the purchase. The seller should also have provided you with confirmation of the contract, as well as information on aftersales and guarantees, how to cancel the contract and a postal address for complaints. If the seller did not provide you with information on your right to cancel, the cooling-off period can be extended by 12 months. Some purchases are not covered by the cooling-off period. These include customised or perishable goods and bookings for transport or accommodation.

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Christmas arrangements This news item was posted on December 8, 2017 The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has published the arrangements for social welfare payments over the Christmas period. Find out more in the link below. http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Bank-Holiday-Arrangements.aspx

Midlands flooding: humanitarian assistance This news item was posted on November 24, 2017 Following recent flooding events in Laois and Offaly, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has made the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme available. This Scheme is for people whose homes have been damaged and who need financial assistance with essential needs and household items. In some cases, the Scheme can cover structural repair. Read more about the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme in the link below. http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Humanitarian-Assistance-Scheme.aspx

New guidelines for landlords and tenants This news item was posted on November 23, 2017 The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) has published new guidelines for landlords and tenants. See below link. https://onestopshop.rtb.ie/news/rtb-publishes-guidelines-for-good-practice-on-the-substantial-change-exempt/ These detailed guidelines explain what counts as “substantial change” to a rented property to allow a landlord to exceed the cap on rent increases in a Rent Pressure Zone. This cap (4% per year) can only be exceeded if significant changes have been made to the property. The guidelines also cover what counts as “substantial refurbishment” for the purposes of ending a Part 4 tenancy. A tenancy can only be ended on this ground if the proposed works are substantial and require the property to be vacated. The RTB has also announced a new one-stop shop website with a webchat facility and an extension of its opening hours. Read more on rtb.ie https://www.rtb.ie/search-results/news/article/2017/11/23/rtb-publishes-guidelines-for-good-practice-on-the-substantial-change-exemption-in-rent-pressure-zones

We are delighted to announce that our Free Will Service will be fully operational again from 30th January 2018. For further information on this service, why not Call us or drop in to find out more. Dublin North West Citizens Information Service. 1B The Village Centre Finglas Village Dublin 11 0761077360 Email: finglas:citinfo.ie This service is by appointment only.

Refunds of domestic water charges This news item was posted on November 20, 2017 The Water Services Act 2017 was signed into law on Friday, 17 November 2017. It provides for the refund of payments made for domestic water charges. Refunds will begin to be issued from today, 20 November 2017. The amount you paid to Irish Water in domestic billing charges will be refunded to you. To find out how much you are due to be refunded and when you can expect to get your refund, login to your account on water.ie. (https://www.water.ie/) Customers who have moved house should contact Irish Water at 1850 448 448 or +353 1 707 2824 to update their details, so that the refund cheque will go to their new address. These lines are open Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5:30 pm. Read more about water charge refunds on www.water.ie. See link below.

Know Your Rights: Replacing lead pipes This news item was posted on November 10, 2017 Question Can we get a grant to replace lead water pipes in our house? Answer (September 2017) The local authorities administer a means-tested grant scheme to help low-income households with the cost of replacing lead pipes and fittings. If your income is below €50,000 a year, you may get a grant of up to 80% of the cost, up to a maximum of €4,000. If your income is between €50,001 and €75,000, you may get up to 50%, up to a maximum of €2,500. You will need to provide evidence of your household’s income when applying to the local authority for the grant. You must own the premises and live in it as your principal private residence (your main home). You must get the remedial work done before applying for the grant, and it must cost at least €200. You must have evidence of a risk of lead contamination in your home. This can either be: ◾A letter from your water supplier (Irish Water or a group water scheme), advising that your water system probably contains lead pipes and fittings, or ◾A recent certificate from an accredited laboratory, showing that the level of lead in your water supply is higher than the legal limit The contractor who does the work must give you the following: a current tax clearance certificate; itemised receipts; written confirmation that the works carried out and the materials used are of an appropriate quality and standard. You will need to enclose all these documents with your grant application. If you are an Irish Water customer and you plan to replace your lead piping, you must first apply for Irish Water’s Customer Opt-in Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme. see below link. https://www.water.ie/projects-plans/national-projects/lead-mitigation-plan/ You may be able to get some tax relief under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) scheme even if you get a grant to replace your lead piping – see revenue.ie.

Know Your Rights: Small Claims Procedure This news item was posted on November 8, 2017 Question I am not happy with work that a builder did on my house and will have to pay for someone else to finish the job properly. What can I do to recoup the additional expense? Answer (August 2017) If your original builder is unwilling to compensate you, you may be able to pursue a claim against the builder through the Small Claims Procedure. The aim of this procedure is to provide an inexpensive, fast and easy way for consumers to resolve disputes without needing to employ a solicitor. The maximum amount you can claim is €2,000. The small claims service is provided through local District Court offices. Anyone who has purchased goods or services for private use from someone selling them in the course of business may submit a claim using the Small Claims Procedure. You can make claims for faulty goods or bad workmanship, for minor damage to property, and for the non-return of rent deposits for certain kinds of rented properties, for example, a holiday home. Businesses involved in disputes with other businesses can also use the Small Claims Procedure. To make a claim, you complete an application form which you can download from the Small Claims Procedure section of courts.ie (see link below http://www.courts.ie/courts.ie/Library3.nsf/PageCurrentWebLookUpTopNav/Small%20Claims%20Procedure) or get from the Small Claims Registrar at the District Court office. Make sure you use the correct name and address of the person or company you want to make the claim against. The completed form and a fee of €25 should be lodged with the Small Claims Registrar. You can also apply online at the Courts Service Online website, csol.ie. The Registrar sends a copy of your application to the person you are making the claim against. If the other party does not reply within 15 days of receiving your application, your claim will be automatically treated as undisputed and you can apply for a court order in your favour. If your claim is disputed, the Registrar will contact you and let you have a copy of the reasons why the other party is disputing your claim. The Registrar will try to negotiate a settlement to the dispute. If no settlement can be reached, the matter is then set for a court hearing in the District Court.

DO YOU NEED LEGAL ADVICE? Dublin Northwest Citizens Information Service Offices run Free Legal Advice Clinics (FLAC). Please see below poster for further information.