Questions for lawyers Found 20

A salesperson came to my house in Mosta unannounced and, after a long pitch, I ended up signing a contract for a water filtration system I did not really want. I signed the same evening under pressure and paid a deposit by card. Two days later I regretted it. Can I still cancel?

I signed up for a holiday timeshare package at a presentation in Malta four days ago and paid an initial deposit. I have since read the contract properly and want out. The salesperson is now saying deposits are non-refundable regardless of timing. Is that enforceable?

I had dinner with friends at a restaurant in St Julian’s and when the bill came, there was an automatic 10 percent service charge added that was never mentioned on the menu or when we ordered. Are restaurants allowed to just add this without telling customers beforehand?

I cancelled a monthly subscription box service based in Malta through their app three months ago, and I even received a cancellation confirmation email at the time, but they have continued charging my card every month since. Support keeps saying my cancellation ‘didn’t go through’ on their end.

I rented an apartment in Sliema for two years and moved out leaving it in reasonable condition, but the landlord is refusing to return my deposit, listing normal scuff marks and a slightly faded curtain as ‘damage’. Is this something the Consumer Claims Tribunal can even help with, or is this a different process entirely?

I bought a used car from a dealer in Birkirkara and within a week the engine started making a loud knocking noise. A mechanic told me it needs major work. The dealer says used cars are sold as-is and won’t help. Is that actually true under Maltese law?

I bought a set of kitchen appliances online and, as with any product, opened the box to check the item, which is undamaged and unused. I decided within a few days that I didn’t need it and want to return it under the standard 14-day right, but the seller is refusing, saying the box was opened and it can no longer be resold as new.

I bought what was advertised as an authentic designer handbag through an online marketplace, paying through the platform’s checkout, but the item that arrived is clearly a counterfeit. The individual seller is not responding to messages anymore. What can I do, and does the marketplace itself have any responsibility?

I received a gift voucher for a restaurant in Valletta as a present, but by the time I tried to use it, the shop said it had expired six months after issue and refused to accept it, even for partial value. Is such a short expiry period even allowed?

I paid online for tickets to an event in Malta through the organiser’s own website. The payment went through and I got a confirmation email, but the tickets themselves never arrived and now nobody replies to my emails or calls. What can I actually do to get my money back?