Riverty dømt til å tilbakebetale fakturagebyr

Forbrukterådet filed a class action lawsuit against the billing company Riverty, claiming that the company had charged excessive fees to parking customers. The Norwegian Consumer Council sought to ensure that customers received reimbursement for the disputed fees. The case was heard by the Oslo District Court at the end of August.

On Wednesday, the court ruled in favor of the consumer council. The ruling states that all parties involved in the class action lawsuit must be refunded the so-called invoice fees, administrative fees, Pay Later, administrative and post-payment fees, Park & Go, Flex, Flex and park with delayed payment. The company is also ordered to pay the case costs of around 1.4 million kroner.

The class action lawsuit covers invoices purchased by Riverty from the largest parking companies from January 1, 2023, according to the Consumer Council. They point to legislation stating that an invoice fee should only cover the actual costs the company incurs in creating and sending the bill - not anything more. When the case is finally decided, the Consumer Council will publish information on how to proceed.

The case concerns invoices sent on behalf of Onepark AS, Apcoa Norway AS, Aimo Park Norway AS, Bember AS, Parkly AS, Nor Tronic AS or Park Nordic AS, it states in the ruling. Riverty's Managing Director, Kjell-Rune Birkelund, says the company will take time to carefully review the ruling, but warns that an appeal is most likely.

"We disagree with the court's conclusion," he says. He says Riverty is a financing company and believes the parking companies are responsible for designing the pricing and fee models. "If the ruling stands, we will pursue the rebuttal claim," Birkelund says.