Agency Procedural Rules

What is the ODR4ALL service?;

It is the electronic resolution of your dispute through the use of the easy-to-use ODR4ALL platform. It concerns complaints about purchases of products or services via the internet or in a physical store made by the consumer against the trader and vice versa. The entire process is done electronically and all that is required is to register as a simple member on startADR, which has absolutely no cost to you.

How is my dispute resolved through the ODR4ALL platform?;

1. By completing the online form, you are sending us your complaint and entrusting us with the resolution of your dispute.

2. We undertake to contact the other party electronically and inform them of your complaint. We also inform the other party of the electronic dispute resolution you have chosen to resolve your dispute.

3. Once we have the first response from the other side, we will inform you electronically of its content.

4. After both sides have been "heard" and each side has been informed of the version supported by the other, we then propose a solution, which we transmit electronically to both parties.

5. You can both accept the solution and the process will be completed. If you do not agree, you can proceed to other methods to resolve your dispute, such as exercising your right to take legal action.

What is the cost of the service?;

Cost is always one of the critical questions in a service but also in everything we do, especially when we live in difficult economic times. startADR® brings to Greece the latest developments in dispute resolution, especially online dispute resolution (ODR). However, it takes care to make the service as accessible as possible to both consumers and traders!

Specifically:

For consumers The service is completely FREE! The cost is borne by the business/merchant involved in the dispute.

For businesses/merchants The fees are variable. They start at 55 euros (+VAT) per complaint and increase depending on the subject of the dispute. Special agreements through a six-month or annual subscription are possible. Collective agreements for members of professional or trade associations are also possible.

Who can resolve their dispute through the ODR4ALL platform?;

Every European citizen established in one of the 28 Member States of the European Union (including Great Britain), regardless of nationality.

In which country should the other side be located?;

The person (natural or legal) against whom the complaint is directed (trader, commercial company, professional or consumer) must have their permanent establishment in Greece or Cyprus.

Who can file a complaint and against whom?;

The complaint can be made:

From a consumer to a trader, business or professional

or

From a merchant, business or professional to a consumer.

What disputes can I resolve through the ODR4ALL platform?;

The complaint can be made:

– From a consumer to a trader, business or professional

– From a merchant, business or professional to a consumer.

Specifically in the following areas:

  • Consumer Goods
  • Education
  • Energy and water supply
  • Financial services
  • General Services to the Consumer
  • Health
  • Recreational services
  • Postal services and electronic communications
  • Transportation services

And in more detail:

Consumer Goods
Food – Fruits and vegetables
Food – Meat
Food – Bread and cereals
Food – Healthy foods and nutrients
Food – Other
Non-alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages
Tobacco
Clothing (including custom-made goods) and footwear
Goods for home maintenance and improvement
Furnishing and decoration
Large household appliances (including vacuum cleaners and microwave ovens)
Small household appliances (including coffee makers and food processors)
Electronic goods (non-ICT/entertainment)
Information and communication technology (ICT) goods
Leisure goods (sports equipment, musical instruments, etc.)
New cars
Used cars
Other means of personal transportation
Spare parts and accessories for vehicles and other personal transport
Fuels and lubricants for vehicles and other means of personal transport
Books, magazines, newspapers and stationery (excluding postal delivery costs)
Pets and pet goods
Electrical personal care appliances
Cosmetics and personal care products
Jewelry, silverware, watches of all kinds and accessories
Baby and child care items
Cleaning and maintenance products, cleaning supplies and non-durable household goods

Education
Schools
Language learning, driving lessons and other private lessons

Energy and water supply
Water supply
Electric current
Gas
Other energy sources

Financial services
Financial services – Payment account and payment services
Financial services – credit (excluding mortgages/home loans)
Financial services – Mortgages/home loans
Financial services – Savings
Financial services – Other
Investments, pensions and securities
General Insurance – Home and Property
General Insurance – Transportation
General Insurance – Travel
General insurance – Health, accidents and others
Insurance – Life

General Services to the Consumer
Real estate related services
Construction of new homes
Home maintenance and improvement services
Removal of home contents and storage
Home cleaning services
Personal care services
Cleaning, repair and rental of clothing and footwear
Support, research and mediation services
Maintenance and repair of vehicles and other means of transport
Legal and accounting services
Funeral home services
Childcare
Pet services

Health
Prescription medications
Medicines on the free market
Medical devices and other physical aids used by patients
Health services
Nursing facilities and home care

Recreational services
Hotels and other holiday accommodation
Organized trips
Travel agency services
Timeshare and similar
Restaurants and bars
Services related to sports and hobbies
Cultural and recreational services
Gambling, lotteries
Gambling, lotteries

Postal services and electronic communications
Postal services and courier services
Landline services
Mobile telephony services
Internet services
Television services
Other communication services

Transportation services
Tram, bus, metro and underground railway
Rail transport
Airlines
Taxi
Sea, river and other inland waterway transport
Transport infrastructure services
Rental services

What disputes are excluded from resolution through the ODR4ALL platform?;

In addition to the above conditions, any dispute in which one party happens to be a state, public or municipal authority is excluded from electronic dispute resolution.

How should these differences have arisen?;

Disputes may have arisen from the purchase of a product or service via the Internet (online), in which case you complete the online form to submit your complaint. here,

or

They must have resulted from the purchase of a product or service in a physical store (offline), in which case you complete the electronic form to submit your complaint. here.

Do I need a lawyer for the process?;

No. A lawyer is not required for electronic dispute resolution through the ODR4ALL electronic platform. However, if you consider that you need legal advice or support, it is a purely personal matter for you to consult a lawyer or have him represent you in the process with relevant authorization.

In what language is the procedure conducted?;

Both the ODR4ALL platform for the electronic resolution of consumer disputes, and all startADR services® are provided with the same consistency in two languages, Greek and English. You can choose the one with which you are most familiar.

What is the average duration of the procedure?;

The average duration of the electronic consumer dispute resolution process is 30 calendar days. However, this is an average and in your case the dispute may be resolved in less time. Also, in more complex disputes, the 30-day time may be exceeded. However, you will be notified of this in good time by us.

In any case, the maximum limit set by European legislation is 90 days, which can be increased after you have been informed in advance.

However, we strive to resolve disputes submitted to us as soon as possible, with a maximum time limit of 30 days, as mentioned above.

How is the process carried out?;

The procedure is conducted electronically, mainly in writing. Where necessary, there may also be oral communication, e.g. telephone communication, but this is in exceptional cases and after prior notification to you. Your physical presence or that of your representatives is not required.

Is the result of the procedure binding?;

No. The outcome of the process is not binding on either party. In any case, the process can be terminated by either party without justification and without any consequences. The entire process from beginning to end, even the choice of this is voluntary and is based on the mutual desire for an out-of-court, electronic, amicable and effective resolution of the dispute that has arisen.

What are the reasons why startADR may refuse to provide its services?;

Reasons for refusal are the following:

  • The consumer did not attempt to first contact the trader/business to try to resolve the dispute bilaterally.
  • The complaint is frivolous or malicious.
  • The complaint is being examined, or has been examined, by another dispute resolution body or by a court.
  • The handling of the dispute will have serious implications for the operation of startADR®.

What applies to the protection of your personal data?;

1. Introduction
At this point you will find all information related to the protection of your personal data and the privacy policy followed by startADR.®. This privacy policy statement applies both if you are a consumer and if you are a trader, as well as to any of your representatives. This statement concerns the ODR4ALL online consumer dispute resolution platform, which operates based on European standards and specifications. We provide all the information you need regarding the collection, processing, use and protection of your personal data. We also inform you about the purposes of processing, your rights and how you have access to your personal data. Finally, we provide you with all the necessary contact details, facilitating communication with us so that you can be served immediately regarding your personal data and the ODR4ALL service.

2. Why we need your personal data
We collect and process your personal data for your identification. We need the correct information so that we can communicate it to the other party and also get in touch with you. This way, you and the dispute are identified. In addition, we can proceed with the electronic resolution of your dispute safely, promptly, efficiently and without problems.

In addition, you will be able to identify yourself as an authorized user of the ODR4ALL electronic platform and be able to be informed about the complaint you have submitted or that has been submitted against you, as well as to be informed about its outcome.

3. What data do we collect and process?
For the purposes of submitting your complaint and for your authorized connection to the ODR4ALL electronic platform when you so wish, we collect and process the following personal data:

  • Name, surname, patronymic or business name, VAT number and competent Tax Office for your identification.
  • Email address, landline and mobile phone number, postal address (street, number, postal code, city, country), website (in the case of a merchant, business or professional) for our communication with you.
  • Personal data may also be present in the documents you attach to your complaint or in the event that you are asked to provide us with any other document or information relevant to your complaint. The same applies to documents or information that may be provided to us by the other party.

4. For what purposes do we process them?

  • For the identification of all parties involved and our communication with them.
  • Your authorized connection to the ODR4ALL electronic platform.
  • The electronic submission of the complaint to the ODR4ALL electronic platform and the electronic resolution of the dispute.
  • For statistical purposes and in particular for the creation of annual statistical reports containing information on:

a) the number of disputes and the type of complaints they concerned.

b) the percentage of disputes that were discontinued without a final outcome (successful or unsuccessful).

c) the average time required for the electronic resolution of the disputes submitted.

d) the rate of compliance with the outcome of the procedure.

e) any problems that systematically arose during the dispute resolution process for the formulation of relevant recommendations for their future avoidance.

Processing for the purposes immediately above will take place anonymously.

  • To create working cases that can be used for educational purposes and to promote the goals of startADR® and more generally the promotion of alternative dispute resolution methods in Greece and abroad. The processing and communication will be done anonymously without the users' personal data and in a way that in no case creates a risk of disclosure of their personal data or identification.

5. How long do we keep your personal data?;

Your personal data is kept in the startADR file.® for 12 months after the completion of the process (successful or unsuccessful). After this period they are permanently deleted from the file.

6. How we protect your personal data

All data in electronic format (electronic form, electronic messages, documents, data sets, etc. that were uploaded, are stored on startADR servers.® where advanced security systems are implemented with all European and international standards.

7. Who has access to your data?;

Only specially authorized startADR personnel have access to your personal data.® since it needs to have knowledge of the specific data. They are fully bound by the law but also by the duty to preserve secrecy and maintain confidentiality.

8. Is the information of the complaint communicated?;

The only notification concerns the other party, but it is made to the extent necessary to identify the complainant and advance the process.

9. What rights do you have and how can you exercise them?;

In case you want to fill in any missing information or make corrections, log in with the codes on the ODR4ALL platform or contact startADR.®.

10. Contact

If you nevertheless have any questions or concerns about the collection, processing, storage, protection and deletion of your personal data, get in touch with us.

Who is responsible for resolving disputes at the institute?;

The dispute resolution officer is Eleftheria Papadimitriou. More information about the dispute resolution officer can be found at here.

What are the quality criteria applied?;

The startADR® implements all the quality criteria required by Greek and European legislation and are also respected internationally.

  • Impartiality. The individuals responsible for online dispute resolution perform their work with impartiality and neutrality. They offer solutions that are based on the best possible interest of both parties without any discrimination. They help the parties to come to a mutually beneficial, fair and effective solution amicably, without expressing a personal opinion and without any preference. They function from the beginning to the end of the process as neutral third parties who facilitate the resolution of the dispute.
  • Independence. The individuals who undertake the electronic resolution of disputes are governed by all guarantees of independence. They have no financial or other dependence on associations or representatives of consumers or traders. Thus, they can and are objective and impartial throughout the process. Their main concern is the resolution of the dispute that will promote the interests of all parties involved and only.
  • Expertise. The natural persons to whom startADR has assigned® electronic dispute resolution, possess all the required knowledge and skills, both in the field of alternative dispute resolution and judicial resolution of consumer disputes. They also have proven and many years of experience as active and combative lawyers in the subjects required and not just basic legal knowledge required by law. They combine real experience with a high level of training, as well as continuous training and scientific presence in Greece and abroad.

What codes of conduct apply?;

The startADR® applies both the Greek and European codes of conduct for alternative dispute resolution.

What if I need help with my complaint?;

At any stage of your complaint, if you need assistance, you can contact us via the page Communication.