Consumer Rights

Recently, news about “an elderly person making huge short-drama top-ups” made many adult children’s hearts tighten. According to reports by IT Times and other media, and as told by the family members involved: an elder nearly 70 years old made 4,887 short-drama top-ups over more than two years, totaling about RMB 225,800, involving 365 short-drama venues, of which 1,857 payments occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning; separately reported, in Hebei another “post-1950s” elder topped up more than RMB 50,000 in a year and a half. ...

“The apartment hasn’t been lived in for a single day, yet the heating bill is still over 600 yuan a year.” In the past few days, discussion about the heating “vacancy fee” has heated up again. According to a Yicai report on October 8, Wu Kai (a pseudonym), a Xi’an resident whose unrenovated apartment has remained vacant, was still charged 30% of the total heating season cost, more than 600 yuan a year; Wang Tingyong, a Xi’an lawyer who sued the heating company, received his first-instance judgment on August 6 — his claims were dismissed, and he has prepared to appeal. With more than a month to go before heating starts on November 15 this winter, the shutdown application windows of various heating companies are open. On what legal basis is this money charged? Why did the lawsuit fail? Is it still too late to apply for a shutdown this year? This article explains it all at once. ...