Germany Customer Protection Institution

Question

I had problems hiring an internet provider in Germany (Unitymedia).

To summarize, they told me that the services were available at my building, and at the end, no service was available.

Then I hired one of their plans, and over weeks I got to discover that cable internet was not available, and in order to be, The whole building infrastructure would have to change.

As soon as I got to know that, I called them, and said that this situation was unacceptable. They told me I could cancel, all I needed to do was to send an email with my story and Customer Service, which I immediately did.

I then hired another provider. I now know that my contract was not cancelled yet, and to cancel I need to send letters.

This is all a ridiculous situation, and I cannot trust this letter will really cancel my contract.

Is there any Institution for Customer Protection in Germany, which can help me solve the issue?

In Brazil there is one names PROCON, which is quite effective and usually does solve the issue.

Answer 1

It's called Verbraucherschutzzentrale. Those are organized per state, but there is a general website. I've never dealt with them, but they do this kind of stuff.

You can also contact one of the large IT magazines. They sometimes pick up stories like yours and help. Heise Verlag's c't does this, though I don't know how to contact them for it.

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I would also get a German from work whom you trust involved to call and properly tell them in German again what happend. That might do the trick. Besides that, document everything that you did. Keep copies of every letter. Send your cancellation with Enschreiben so you get a confirmation receipt. When you talk to them on the phone, always write down the agent's name and when you talked to them and what was said.