The Knesset passed a new bill in its preliminary reading which addresses warning a person before legal action is taken against him by large companies. The private bill is sponsored by Yahadut Hatorah MKs Moshe Gafne and Uri Maklev.

The bill would require companies to send a person a warning prior to taking legal action against him. No one voted against the bill. No one abstained. The bill is now in the Economics Committee where it is being prepared for subsequent readings.

The bill seeks to protect citizens against having utility and other services cut off without warning. The MKs explain that too often citizens fall victim to harsh and aggressive legal action by large companies, leaving them helpless. One they owe a certain sum they are placed in the hands of collection agencies and they do not have an ability to extricate themselves from a spiraling situation. The MKs feel that everything possible must be done to protect consumers and give them every opportunity to work out a payment scheduled prior to cutting services.

Gafne and Maklev call the collection process a “black hole” for most people experiencing economic difficulties. Maklev feels the bill is a priority consumer protection bill.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)