The European Commission’s new on-line dispute resolution (ODR) platform for consumers and retailers was formally opened on 15 February. The platform is designed to allow consumers and retailers to settle disputes without the need to go through court proceedings and/or dispute resolution bodies. It will act as a referee, and all on-line retailers are required to provide a link to the ODR Platform on their websites.

For face to face sales in the UK, consumers may seek ADR from one of the approved providers listed on the Trading Standards Institute website. Participation in ADR is not mandatory for either party to a dispute and even where an ADR provider offers binding resolution the consumer can still take the retailer to court if they wish.

The vast majority of consumer disputes are resolved informally, and there is a wealth of generic advice, of varying reliability, on-line. AMDEA has developed a guidance document specifically for our members, which will be updated as and when new queries are raised in respect of appliance purchases