5.7.2018
If you have experienced any problems with your taxi ride, always contact the taxi dispatch centre or the taxi company first. If you wish to file a complaint, the Complaint Assistant on the Finnish Competition and Consumer Agency’s (FCCA) website will help you. Further assistance is available from the Consumer Advisory Service, if required.
Consumers sometimes experience problems with their taxi rides. The taxi they ordered never shows up, the fare is higher than originally agreed, or the driver may lack professional skills, which translates into a route choice that may not be optimal for the consumer. In these situations, the passenger should always contact the party that accepted the order, either a taxi dispatch centre or a private hire operator.
Customers who paid for the ride themselves can use the Complaints Assistant on the FCCA’s website to prepare a written complaint. If the matter can not be resolved this way, the passenger can contact the Consumer Advisory Service for assistance with settling the dispute. The Claims Assistant and contact information for the Consumer Advisory Service can be found at kuluttajaneuvonta.fi. With problems regarding rides paid by Kela or the municipality, passengers are advised to contact them directly.
“If something goes wrong, it’s important that consumers exercise their rights. It’s always a good idea to ask the driver for a receipt, because it makes it easier to investigate the problem,” says Jukka Kaakkola from the FCCA.
“The changes in the taxi market following the entry into force of the Act on Transport Services will certainly affect the taxi passenger. It is advisable to get acquainted with the new practices beforehand to make sure there are no unpleasant surprises with the taxi service,” says Kimmo Pylväs, Head of Department at the Finnish Transport Safety Agency Trafi.
What is the compensation for defects in taxi service?
The primary compensation for any defects in taxi service is a discount that correlates with the defect. If the passenger incurs any expenses, such as telephones costs, due to the defect, they may claim compensation. However, the passenger is not entitled to compensation for trouble and upset, emotional distress or loss of leisure time. Cancellation of agreement is an option only if the defect is material.
More information about defects in taxi services and their compensation is available at the FCCA website.
Trafi and the FCCA have also produced an informative video (in Finnish) on the subject.
Further information:
FCCA, Legal Counsel Jukka Kaakkola, tel. 029 505 3132, firstname.lastname@kkv.fi
Trafi, Head of Department Kimmo Pylväs, tel. 029 5345 798, kimmo.pylvas(at)trafi.fi
www.trafi.fi/taksimatkustajalle
www.kkv.fi/taksimatkat