The Consumer Affairs Agency is considering reviewing the law so that contracts, which are currently supposed to be delivered in writing for door-to-door sales, can be delivered by e-mail with the consent of the consumer.
Regarding this, the Consumer Commission of the country has issued a "proposal" requesting that the contract details can be confirmed reliably from the viewpoint of trouble prevention.
The Consumer Affairs Agency is aiming to submit amendments to the "Specified Commercial Transactions Law" and the "Deposit Law" that prohibit malicious solicitations for specific industries to the current Diet, in which regulations are tightened. On the other hand, we are considering making it possible to issue contracts, which are currently supposed to be done in writing, by e-mail with the consent of consumers.
Regarding this, at the meeting of the national consumer committee on the 4th, the committee members said, "In many cases, parents found a document contracted by a young person and led to consultation, and the consumer consultation site is against it." I do not oppose the conversion, but it is a problem that there was no opportunity to hear opinions from consumer groups and businesses at the time of the examination. "
Based on these opinions, at the meeting, it is recommended that the method of obtaining consent be clarified in guidelines, etc., and that even in the case of e-mail, etc., the method should be limited to a method that allows consumers to reliably recognize the contract details. I decided.
After the meeting, Ryuji Yamamoto, chairman of the Consumer Commission, said, "Transactions subject to the Specified Commercial Transactions Law and the Deposit Law have suffered great damage from malicious businesses in the past, so it is necessary to set strict conditions. There is. I would like you to thoroughly consider the guidelines before implementing it. "
Consumer group "concerned about increased damage"
Etsuko Masuda, the chairman of the "National Consumer Affairs Counselors Association," which is made up of counselors from consumer affairs centers nationwide, said, "There are still cases where there are problems depending on whether or not the contract is handed over, and delivery by e-mail is permitted. I am concerned that the damage to consumers will increase and the consultation site will be confused. I would like to evaluate that the Consumer Commission has proposed and arranged the issues, but it is premised on the review. I am skeptical, and I would like the Consumer Affairs Agency to make a thorough examination based on the proposal. "