The European Union has created a website to support consumers in lodging their complaints about any dispute they are involved in. In this context, GRUDIS provides all information so that you can exercise your right to complain to an official, third-party entity that is impartial to the process. Therefore, if you are dissatisfied with purchasing a service on our website, or with the solution presented by us to resolve the situation, you can access this official website and express your dispute.

What is alternative dispute resolution?

Alternative dispute resolution is the possibility that all consumers have at their disposal to appeal to official entities that help them in resolving, or guiding, a conflict, before opening litigation in the Courts. As a general rule, the procedure is as follows: the customer asks an impartial third party to intervene as an intermediary between him and the merchant who is the target of his complaint. The intermediary may suggest a solution to your complaint, impose a solution on both parties, or bring the parties together to find a solution. You may know the concept of alternative dispute resolution by another name: 'mediation', 'conciliation', 'arbitration' or 'competent commission in the context of consumer disputes'. Alternative dispute resolution is, as a rule, less expensive, less formal and faster than the judicial route.

In the event of a dispute, the consumer can resort to an Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution Entity. Suggestions for alternative dispute resolution entities:

CIAB – Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem de Consumo (Tribunal Arbitral de Consumo): https://www.ciab.pt/pt/
CNIACC – Centro Nacional de Informação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo: https://www.cniacc.pt/pt/
Centro de Informação de Consumo e Arbitragem do Porto: http://www.cicap.pt
Mais informações em Portal do Consumidor: https://www.consumidor.gov.pt/