"At times when there were no receipts, paragons and invoices, the trade guarantee could only be a word of honor. The vendor has been guilty of municipal property law for the fact that his merchandise is not stolen. The responsibility for defects has not been solved, " says Lukáš Zelený, head of the Legal Department of the consumer organization dTest, adding: " It was only in horses that if the animal had a shortness of breath or a stroke within three days, the money had to be returned to the customer. In the case of real estate, the seller was guilty of having the right to sell it. "
Relationships between customers and retailers in the past tried to regulate monarchs and professional guilds to protect their honor. In 1579, the City of the Kingdom of Bohemia rights was issued, which provided uniform rules for the seller. Observance of them was supervised by the city councils. The merchants, as they were today, were inventive in the pursuit of profits, so the local professional masters patrolled the markets, looked at the goods, and seized the poor quality.
Verifying scales and measurements was not an easy task. Different rates were used in different countries, and our elbow was not the same in all cities. Comparisons were also helped by urban scales that were freely available at the time of the markets. In the pubs of Prague, there was an official office with a nail in the role of a bar, where the guest could judge whether he was honestly pounded. Regular problems were with bakers and butchers. The prices of their products, set by retailers and constellations, remained the same, but the cost of raw materials grew, trying to save at the expense of buyers.
Conseil was assisted by a scribbler, a beard and a reaper, who had the right to arrest him. Whoever defended himself could pay his throat or cut his hand. "Poor weights and measures were seized and buried under the gallows. The deceiving sinner cat dipped in an iron basket into the Vltava River, whatever the season was, and he was also charged with a fine. We have a testimony from the time of Rudolph II's reign, which was obviously a matter of fair trading, " says Lukas Zeleny.
The guilds, which began in the 14th century, gradually replaced the city administration with quality control and honesty. At a time of major epidemics, when labor and labor prices were on the rise, customers were protected from pricing by special pricing. Craftsmen were forbidden to talk secretly on prices.
At that time, butchers and bakers were under close supervision. The flour was controlled, but also the breadth and weight of the bread sold, in Prague two to three times a week. Mass health and weight were important for the meal. Bread and meat that did not pass through was passed on to the poor. Nor did the other goods escape control. He studied malt, fur coats were not allowed to be stitched from dead animals, and it was forbidden to offer gold instead gold-plated metals.
With the disappearance of guilds and the emergence of trades in the 19th century, new rules emerged, gradually evolved and developed. "Today, we are protected by the Civil Code and the Consumer Protection Act. For those who need help, there is also a dTest consumer consulting at 299 149 009. The service is free of charge, you only pay for the price of your call according to your tariff, " says Green. You can also find the necessary information about your rights on the dTest website or write your question through the web form .
Source: tz dTest.cz