Universalschlichtungsstelle des Bundes - Zentrum für Schlichtung e. V.

Overview

Fees for traders

Fees to be paid by the consumer

EUR 30 for fraudulent applications.

 

Fees to be paid by the company

Costs vary between EUR 40 and EUR 800 depending on the value of the claim. The fee is reduced in the event of immediate full recognition by the company. It may also be reduced if the consumer stops participating in the dispute resolution procedure without giving a reason and the Federal Universal Arbitration Board then declares the procedure terminated vis-à-vis the parties involved; or if a reduction of the fee appears appropriate in accordance with the content of the arbitration proposal put forward by the Federal Universal Arbitration Board to the parties, in particular if the meditator assumes in the arbitration proposal that the claim asserted by the consumer is obviously unfounded (Section 6 UnivSchlichtV).

The entity is competent for disputes in the following sectors

• Consumer Goods
• Food - Fruit and vegetables
• Food - Meat
• Food - Bread and Cereals
• Food - Health food and nutrients
• Food - Other
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tobacco
• Clothing (including tailor-made goods) and footwear
• House maintenance and improvement goods
• Furnishings
• Large domestic household appliances (including vacuum cleaners and microwaves)
• Small domestic household appliances (including coffee machines and food- processing appliances)
• Electronic goods (non-ICT/recreational)
• Information and communication technology (ICT) goods
• Leisure goods (sports equipment, musical instruments, etc)
• New cars
• Second-hand cars
• Other personal transport
• Spares and accessories for vehicles and other means of personal transport
• Fuels and lubricants for vehicles and other means of personal transport
• Books, magazines, newspapers, stationery (excluding postal delivery)
• Pets and pet goods
• Electrical appliances for personal care
• Cosmetics and toiletries for personal care
• Jewellery, silverware, clocks, watches and accessories
• Baby and child care articles
• Cleaning and maintenance products, articles for cleaning and non-durable household articles
• Other
• Education
• Schools
• Language, driving instruction and other private courses
• Other
• Energy and Water
• Water
• Other energy sources
• Financial Services
• Financial Services - Payment account and payment services
• Financial Services - Credit (excluding mortgage/home loans)
• Financial Services - Mortgages / Home loans
• Financial Services - Savings
• Financial Services - Other
• Investments, pensions and securities
• Non-life Insurance - Home and property
• Non-life Insurance - Transport
• Non-life Insurance - Travel
• Non-life Insurance - Health, accident and other
• Insurance - Life
• Insurance - Other
• General Consumer Services
• Real estate services
• Construction of new houses
• House maintenance and improvement services
• House removal and storage
• House cleaning services
• Personal care services
• Cleaning, repair and hiring of clothing and footwear
• Support, research and intermediary services
• Maintenance and repair of vehicles and other transport
• Legal services & accountancy
• Funeral services
• Child care
• Pet services
• Other
• Health
• Retirement homes and home care
• Other
• Leisure Services
• Hotels and other holiday accommodation
• Package travel
• Travel agency services
• Timeshare and similar
• Restaurants and bars
• Services related to sports and hobbies
• Cultural and entertainment services
• Gambling, lotteries
• Other leisure services
• Postal services and electronic communications
• Postal services & couriers
• Fixed telephone services
• Mobile telephone services
• Internet services
• Television services
• Other communication services
• Transport services
• Tram, bus, metro and underground
• Railways
• Taxi
• Sea, river, other water transport
• Transport infrastructure services
• Rental services
• Other
• Other
• Other (Includes both goods and services)

Fees to be paid by the consumer

• No

Fees to be paid by the trader

• Yes

Type of fee for the trader

• Variable fee

Language(s) of the procedure

• German

The procedure is done

• in writing

Outcome of the procedure

• Binding

Grounds for refusal

• The consumer did not attempt to contact the trader first to try and resolve the matter bilaterally
• The dispute is frivolous or vexatious
• The complaint is being or has previously been considered by another dispute resolution body or by a court
• The value of the claim is below or above the required threshold
• Dealing with the dispute will seriously affect the functioning of the dispute resolution body