How to loge a consumer complaint?

 

As a consumer you need help and assistance in a dispute that opposes you to a professional based
in another European Member State, Iceland or Norway?

What to do?

First of all you should complain yourself to the professional, if possible concise and in writing (registered mail, E-Mail or Fax). Don’t forget to save a copy of your complaint. The Clearing Houses can only take in charge your case if you already tried to find yourself a solution with the professional involved
.
In order to describe your problem to the professional, you can use the European Consumer Complaint Form. If you need help to fill it in, please do not hesitate to contact us or our colleagues of the European Consumer Centres in Kiel (D) or Düsseldorf (D) or in Lille (F).
It is imperative that you send us a description of the facts of your case.

Please send us also a copy of all the documents that may be needful for the complaint handling ( for ex. contract, general terms and conditions, reservation, correspondence between you and the professional, etc.). Furthermore we may need a power of attorney to handle your complaint.
You can contact the German and the French Clearing House at least in German, French or English

on the job: Tuesday to Thursday 9am to 12am and 1pm to 5pm

via phone call: +49 7851 - 99148-0 (open Tuesday to Thursday 9am to 12am and 1pm to 5pm)

via Fax: +49 7851 - 99148-11

via Mail Euro-Info-Verbraucher e.V. - Clearing House Germany or Clearing House France- Rehfusplatz 11, D-77694 Kehl

via Internet: www.eej-net.info

via eMail: [email protected]

How will my complaint be handled throughout the EEJ-Net?


We will examine your complaint and provide a first advice or assistance. Your personal data will be used confidentially according to the European directive on data protection.


  • The Clearing House Germany or the Clearing House France will assist you throughout the course of your complaint and provide the necessary translations within its own capacities.
  • Your case will be transferred to our colleagues from the Clearing House of the country in which the professional is based. They will do their very best to find an out-of-court solution to your dispute. Where applicable, they will try to solve the case with the help of a competent ADR-body

If an ADR-procedure is possible, the out-of-court settlement will be subject to the respective standing rules of procedure and legal framework of the country where the professional is based. Please note that an out-of-court settlement will not exclude the possibility of introducing a later ordinary court procedure.
We will keep you regularly informed about the current situation of your complaint.

Will I have to face any costs?

The services provided by the Clearing Houses Germany and France are exempt from charges. (The German Federal Ministry of Justice, the French Ministry of Economy and Finances as well as the European Commission are supporting the Clearing House Germany and the Clearing House France financially.) But you will have to pay for your own expenses such as postage and photocopies. If any costs incur for an ADR-procedure, you will be informed beforehand about the (mostly low) fees so that you can decide whether you want to start such a procedure or not.
For further information about the details of the complaint handling as well as competent ADR-bodies and procedures, please feel free to contact the employees of the German or the French Clearing House or any other European Clearing House.