Mutual disputes between the Supplier and Customer are resolved by general courts. The Customer who is a consumer has, according to Act No. 108/2024 Coll. on consumer protection, as amended, the right to out-of-court resolution of consumer disputes arising from a purchase contract or service provision contract.
The entity authorized to perform out-of-court dispute resolution is the Slovak Trade Inspection and other alternative consumer dispute resolution (ADR) entities registered in the list maintained by the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic. More information is available at www.soi.sk.
Out-of-court resolution of consumer disputes begins exclusively on the Customer's proposal, and only if the dispute could not be resolved directly with the Supplier. The proposal can be submitted no later than 1 year from the day when the Customer first exercised their right, which is the subject of the dispute, with the Supplier.
Out-of-court resolution of consumer disputes begins exclusively on the Customer's proposal, and only if the dispute could not be resolved directly with the Supplier. The proposal can be submitted no later than 1 year from the day when the Customer first exercised their right, which is the subject of the dispute, with the Supplier.
The Customer has the right to initiate out-of-court dispute resolution online through the ODR platform available at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/index.cfm?event=main.home2.show&lng=SK
The Supplier undertakes to strive primarily for out-of-court dispute resolution with the Customer, if the Customer does not refuse it.
This procedure is not mediation according to Act No. 202/2012 Coll., on mediation, as amended, nor arbitration proceedings according to Act No. 216/1994 Coll., on arbitration proceedings and enforcement of arbitration awards, as amended, and its use does not affect the parties' right to turn to the Slovak Trade Inspection or to court with their claim.
During the period of negotiations on out-of-court dispute settlement, limitation and preclusive periods according to the Civil Code neither run nor begin to run, unless one of the parties to the dispute expressly refuses to continue negotiations.
Alternative consumer dispute resolution is free of charge. Bodies established by law, which are the Slovak Trade Inspection, Regulatory Authority for Network Industries, and Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Postal Services, resolve relevant disputes free of charge.
Supervision over compliance with obligations under Act No. 108/2024 Coll., on consumer protection, as amended, is performed by the Slovak Trade Inspection (www.soi.sk).