Onepark kicked out of industry association – announces cut in invoice fee

The head of Norpark, Lars Monsen, said Onepark had not conformed to the industry’s internal rules regarding invoice fees. Therefore, the association has decided to exclude the company from 12 April.

– The maximum amount we decided on in May last year was NOK 49, says Monsen.

– With what we know today, only Onepark has not adapted to this. Exclusion is a consequence of not following the industry.

In December, E24 wrote that Onepark demanded NOK 60 in invoice fees.

– Will be ten kroner plus VAT

Marketing manager at Onepark Mona Elisabeth Gladhus says they are taking note of the eviction, and that the topic is “very complex”.

– In this specific case, we believe that Norpark did not have sufficient legal durability in its guidelines and Onepark has therefore chosen to secure solid legal grounding on its own initiative, writes Gladhus.

She further writes that Onepark aligns itself with the guidance and recommendations that come from its legal advisers.

Now the company will change the fee, according to the marketing manager.

– All our facilities in Norway have now been rebranded with updated and correct legal information, as well as updated information on websites and so on.

– The invoice fee will be ten kroner plus VAT, she writes.

Onepark states that the change will take place continuously per department as soon as new signs with updated information are in place.

– How does it affect you that you have been thrown out of the industry association?

– It affects us in the sense that we believe the ban was taken on the wrong basis and expect Norpark to take a new round in relation to the decision. Otherwise, we also have close cooperation with Virke’s industry association in relation to the correct legal structure, so overall we are confident in our decision.

NOK 6.4

Billing fees have been the subject of much criticism from consumers in recent years. E24 and other newspapers have written about parking companies that have demanded NOK 49 and more in invoice fees for parking that has been far cheaper.

When companies have threatened legal action, the payment partner has deducted the fee.

The Financial Contracts Act states that companies cannot demand more in invoice fees than it costs to produce and deliver the invoice. According to a survey carried out by Norges Bank in 2020, it cost an average of NOK 6.4 to issue and send a physical invoice.

– Good that they adjust

– It is very nice that they are correcting and getting in place, says Monsen in Nordpark about the change from Onepark.

– Should they be allowed to rejoin the association now?

– It is the board that decides who is allowed to participate and who is not. We have a board meeting on Monday, so we’ll see about that then. In any case, it is good that they adjust, Monsen replies.