Informal/alternative dispute resolution for consumers
Resolving disputes out of court
It is not always necessary to go to court to resolve a dispute over a contract or a purchase. There are other options you can try first:
- Try to resolve the dispute directly with the trader
- Contact an alternative dispute resolution service
- Contact the European Consumer Centre.
Try to resolve the dispute directly with the trader
First, try to resolve the dispute with the trader directly. This is a necessary first step before contacting any out-of-court or alternative dispute resolution service/body. Look for the trader's customer service department details on their website.
Back up your claim with evidence such as your receipt, invoice, contract, etc.
If that doesn’t work, you can ask for help from a neutral, out-of-court alternative dispute resolution service. These services are available for disputes in all market sectors, in your country or in another EU country.
Contact an alternative dispute resolution service
If you have tried, and failed, to find a solution to your problem directly with the trader, you can reach out to an alternative dispute resolution service/body. To find out who to contact, you need to know where the trader is located. You can usually find out by checking their website. Whether the trader is obliged to participate, or whether there is a fee involved, depends on national legislation.
1. The trader is in your country
You can contact an alternative dispute resolution service in your country. Each EU country has a neutral, out-of-court alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body that has been set up in order to
- help you find a solution to your dispute over a purchase or contract
- propose a solution, or perhaps impose one
- help you at a low cost
- reach an outcome within 90 days.
Find an alternative dispute resolution body in your country.
2. The trader is in another EU country (or Iceland or Norway)
You can contact an alternative dispute resolution service in the country where the trader is located. Find an alternative dispute resolution body in the relevant country.
Contact the European Consumer Centre
You can also contact the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in your country (not in the country where the trader is based). European Consumer Centres exist in all EU countries as well as Norway and Iceland.
They can help you if you have encountered a problem after purchasing a product or service in these countries, in any market sector (transport, banking, telecoms, energy, electronic goods, household appliances, car rental, dry cleaning etc).
The ECC in your country can
- respond to your query in your own language
- tell you about your rights as a consumer under EU law and national consumer legislation
- advise you on possible ways to proceed with your complaint
- help you reach an amicable settlement with a trader abroad
- redirect you to the right body if the ECC can't help.
Contact the European Consumer Centre in your country.
Warning
WARNING: the ECC will first check whether or not you have already contacted the trader to try to resolve the dispute. If not, you will be advised to do so.Sample story
Resolve your dispute with the trader
Jutta, from Italy, was not happy with her internet connection speed, which was lower than that stated in her contract. She contacted her internet provider to complain, which prompted them to increase their connection speed. Jutta didn't need to take any further action.
Sample story
Contact an alternative dispute resolution service
Armin from Germany received a bill from his internet provider that was higher than stated in his contract. Having tried without success to fix the problem with the trader, Armin turned to the relevant alternative dispute resolution body in Germany, where he was able to find a solution at a minimum of inconvenience to him.
Sample story
Contact the ECC
Sofia, from Portugal, bought a laptop from a Spanish online retailer. Unfortunately, when the laptop arrived, she discovered that it didn't work properly. The trader advised her to send it back to the manufacturer for repair. She did so, but it wasn't long before she had the same problem again.
Sofia contacted the trader again to ask for a refund, but was told this wouldn't be considered until the laptop had been repaired 3 times. She decided to contact ECC in Portugal for help. The Portuguese office shared the case with its counterpart in Spain, which contacted the trader. Following the intervention of the Spanish ECC, the trader collected the laptop and gave Sofia a full refund.