European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 5, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 5, 1980 the stars and stripes Page 19consumer by Mary vacation fun spoiled you can sue Don t be surprised if you find the latest German travel brochures not quite As glowing i their descriptions As in the  about the offerings of vacation re sorts lend to be tempered with Little warnings of possible inconveniences. For example one Winter Catalon notes that there May be evening noise for people slaying at a certain hotel another warns of possible transportation delays for tourists bonked at a certain Island resort. Why this spate of super honesty new German Lawi that protect the consumer that s Why. The latest gives the tourist the right to sue about Engs Genc Urlaub freude spoiled vacation pleasure. Such can cover quite a lot of gent is More response promised. Seem fat. According to Iho German news Magazine car Spiegel vacationers Are now counting ants and measuring Nar Row hotel rooms crouching about Jelly fish creaking Beds and cripples to resort  reported the news Magazine tourists returning Home Are heading to the courts in droves demanding Money Back for less than perfect holidays. That s exactly what he new Law allows and the complaints that have landed in court make interesting Reading. For example there was in German tourist who appeared before a judge Ellb a Day by Day account of Bis South american trip 13 typewritten pages Lone. Included in Ibe neatly documented fault Flod Oflga the greeting cocktail was offered in Ibe evening instead of on the afternoon of arrival us tout Laden were anything but orderly one meal was smed in the Coffee shop instead of the restau rant said Spiegel the judge found the complaints hardly  lot of suits though Aren t quit As Ihm and Are resulting in payoffs. Certainly the Days when the poor tourist got nothing but a sneer for his complaints have Frankfurt judge Harald Bara listed some of the cases recently won under the new Laws in his Book my rights on vacation from atom. The following were included 1. Three nights disturbed sleep because of loud music. Price of the in 2,332 Marks reduction 90 Marks. 2. The Fine Sand of the Beach was mixed Wilh Sharp Shell a promised City visit a Cut by one Day. The hotel air conditioning was defective. Price 7,336 Marks redaction 1,460 marli.3. Room lacked an outside window lie toilet stank window were without dry per the Walls were dirty and Damp the Sheet and Blanket invited and were dirty. Price 349 Marks reduction s6 Marks.4 water damage made the rented Bungalow unusable. Unsanitary conditions. Price 1,473 Mark reduction 1, 5. Bungalow Damp cold finally after three Days a Heater was installed there were mosquitoes Vasati Zaeri Laughl Coldi and were made uncomfortable by Mosquito Biles Early return flight not possible. Price 2,307.50 Marks reduction 2,307.50.the attention turned toward the nights of the traveler la Germany came about naturally enough Roar travel a pamphlet put out by the German ministry of Justice explain a that from 1961 to 1973, the number of German Tonuu doubled from 15 to 30 million a year easting an entirely new Light on the package Lour Otuwa. In 197s, for example 6.1 million German booked Toun promised accommodation for example hot being Given a private room a requested Etc. American in Germany also a mered by the new Laws. They How err Don t seem to be beading to to courts jul frequently � their German counterparts. Al Hast that s Ibe word from German rate agents. According to Evelin Ingelman of Evelyn s travel Agency in Hannu Germany the biggest problem Wilh americans ii late  s plan their next trip As soon As they arrive Home from the last one she noted. Americans lend 10 wait until the last minute then there s nothing left. They Don t realize that we re much More programmed we re just not As  this year travel from Germany got off to a slow Start. The main reason according to Ingelman. A higher prices due to increased Oil Cost which pushed up plane fares. The poor summer weather however resulted in turning things around. Everyone wanted to go some where where there was Sun Ingelman said few Ravel agents Are Happy with the spoiled vacation pleasure Law hich she said was passed in october. She feels it makes booking Tours very difficult. For example say Street work is taking place near a hotel if the brochure spells it out no one will Lake it room if the fact in t mentioned the tourist can sue. It can be she says a the tourist is never even in the room while work is going on. She knows of no americans who have gone to court under in new Law generally. I just Don t hear complaints from Ameri can customers she said. The Only problem 1 Cun really think of is in cancellation of  she advises americans to carefully Check out the conditions of cancellation at the time they make reservations for a rip they have to be spelled of t in the  under German Law there s a 10-Day Grace period i which the would to traveler can change his or her mind without penalty. Such a cancellation should be Pitt in letter form and sent by registered mail she also noted that it s possible to buy insurance to cover a cancellation. Say illness or other unforeseen circumstance make the planned trip an impossibility the insured in t Oul All his Money rates that she has for such insurance run As follows for a 500 Mark Lour package 5 Marks to recoup up to 30 percent if cancelled 10 Mark for up to 60 percent is Marks for Over 60 percent she also recommends that americans Check into other types of insurance liability Accident illness. The Cost can really be Worth  at to then a spoiled vacation pleasure add Tion to lie germ Law americans who feel they hate received much a than promised of a Cemara boded Tea abound Check out their rights with a Legal officer. The ministry of Justice s brochure your rights travel with you spells out the Law. Bartl s Book gives details on just How to document a Case. German attorney advisers working with the u.5. Mili tary can translate the idler of Ibe Law and also advise on if Youn is it worthwhile Case or not. They can be reached at the following Telephone numbers Trutz Rothmaan Heidelberg military 2121 8213 or 7340geia Newlin Mannheim military 1131 6057 or 8240. Hei Fco Hans Jochin former. Frankfurt military 2311 i vote a i is a in 1977 Are who Oddsia to Sanbury conditions noise. Flura to live up to Uio Dietrich Balling Munkh military 1521 6193. Gerhard Volt Stuttgart military 2723 i 3o. Waller Glau Berlin military 238 w27 or 6483. Leal officer warns of Nad business practices an off limits furniture firm is 5tildoing b jsincs.1 with american customers Andin Daing so living up to Ift bad repute Trifi and customers of another firm arc being Dunne by two finance companies. That s the word from copt. John Kurop of the usar eur Legal assistance office in Heidelberg. Krump warns americans not to do business with furniture Center. A. Taesler. He also wants any customers who Are receiving Dunning letters from both a Wood end Omni finance companies far the same purchases to Contact him. Apparent 1, Kemp pointed oat some people Ren i aware that furniture Center a. Fkr of Munich a put off Simiu to member of in us. Forces by Ibe armed forces disciplinary control Board Mer year ago. The off limits action was taken because of unethical business practices. Now according o Krump the firm is Selling furniture to american customers on a Lay away basis. Customer have complained to our office thai they Arr. Old by the Salesman hut the furniture will be delivered after 16  said  when they ask for delivery however they Are informed thai the con Iraci states Iha they can t receive the furniture until they have paid in  the result is. He said that several military customers Haw rotated to he us without receiving furniture the have paid  Krump notes that it s also been brought to his alien lion that another Munich furniture firm now is is using similar business practices and almost identical business forms and letters. A Check made i