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Miguel's Story

Hidden fees to contract voided

Unfair Contract Terms
€180 refund
25 days

The Problem

Miguel signed up for a gym membership advertised at €29/month. After 6 months, he discovered €180 in hidden fees: "administration fee," "card replacement," and "maintenance contribution" that were buried in fine print.

Evidence
Original Ad
Bank Statements
Contract
Day
2

Started with AnyComplaint

Miguel explained the situation. Our AI identified this as a case of unfair contract terms and hidden fees.

Were these additional fees clearly explained before you signed the contract?
Not at all. They just showed me the €29/month price and rushed me through signing.
This may constitute an unfair commercial practice. Under DL 446/85, contract terms that were not properly communicated can be void. Hidden fees that significantly increase the cost are particularly problematic.
4 clarifying questions
6 facts extracted
Day
2

Complaint Generated

A complaint challenging the validity of the hidden fee clauses was generated.

Generated Document
REF: AC-2024-XXXX
Formal Complaint
Nos termos do Decreto-Lei n.º 446/85, as cláusulas contratuais gerais que não tenham sido adequadamente comunicadas ao aderente consideram-se excluídas do contrato. As taxas adicionais de €180 não foram devidamente comunicadas no momento da contratação, violando o dever de informação previsto no artigo 8.º da Lei n.º 24/96...
[...continues with formal structure, legal citations, and requested remedies]
DL 446/85, Art. 8.º

Duty to communicate contract terms

Lei n.º 24/96, Art. 8.º

Right to information

Day
15

Company Response

The gym's customer service department responded after escalation to their legal team.

"After reviewing your complaint and our communication records, we acknowledge that the additional fees may not have been clearly communicated. We will credit your account with the €180 in disputed charges."

— Customer Service
Day
25

Resolution

Miguel received a full refund of the hidden fees and continued his membership at the advertised price.

€180
Recovered
Full refund of hidden fees
Membership continues at advertised €29/month
No cancellation penalties
"

They tried to hide behind the fine print, but Portuguese law protects consumers from these tricks. Got every euro back.

MD
Miguel D.
Aveiro

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