Consumer protection

Dispute resolution

Consumers can always try to amicably resolve disputes with traders by filing a written complaint

If you believe that your consumer rights have been infringed, you can file a written complaint:
  • The trader is obliged to respond within 15 days from the date of receipt of the complaint.

The procedure for the exercise of consumer rights (of users of public services):
  • The trader providing a public service has to enable the consumer to file a written complaint and respond to that complaint within 15 days without any delay
  • Upon receipt of a response to their written complaint, the consumer can raise a grievance with the public service grievance committee set up by the traders providing public services for: electricity distribution, natural gas distribution, heating distribution, electronic communications, public water supply and public sewerage, public gas supply service, chimney sweeping, universal electricity supply service, post services, collection of mixed and biodegradable municipal waste and public passenger transport, public passenger transport and public parking 
  • The committee has to respond to the grievance raised by the consumer in writing within 30 days from the date it of its receipt.

What if the dispute was not resolved with the complaint or grievance?
  • Only after the consumer has filed a written complaint with the trader; that is, raised a grievance with the committee in case of a public service, they can file a report with the State Inspectorate's Market Inspection or bring court or out-of-court proceedings to further exercise their consumer rights. 

If you failed to resolve your dispute with a trader with the help of a written complaint, court proceedings are not the only option for its resolution available to you. More precisely, in that case you can apply for dispute resolution with the trader to one of the alternative dispute resolution entities competent for consumer disputes in the Republic of Croatia. There is a number of advantages for which citizens should decide to initiate alternative dispute resolution instead of bringing proceedings before an ordinary court.

The advantage of alternative resolution of consumer disputes is that it is a much more flexible option than bringing an action before a court, it is conducted in a more informal setting and it will be cheaper for both the consumer and the trader. Moreover, if agreement is reached in such disputes, this agreement is an acceptable resolution for both parties involved in the dispute.

You may try to amicably resolve the dispute with help of authorities operating in the Republic of Croatia, competent for alternative consumer dispute resolution.
 
If a trader is a sole trader, i.e. a craftsman, you may initiate the proceedings before the following authorities:

1. Mediation Centre of the Croatian Mediation Association, Zagreb, Kneza Mislava 12, info@mirenje.hr;
2. Profi Test d.o.o., “Medijator” Mediation Centre, Bjelovar, Petra Hektorovića 2,
    medijator@medijator.com.hr;
3. Mediation Centre of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts, Zagreb, Ilica 49/II, mirenje@hok.hr;
4. Court of Honour of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts, Zagreb, Ilica 49/II,
sud-casti@hok.hr
 
If a trader is a company (j.d.o.o., d.o.o., d.d. and similar), you may initiate the proceedings before the following authorities:
1. Mediation Centre of the Croatian Mediation Association, Zagreb, Kneza Mislava 12, info@mirenje.hr;
2. Profi Test d.o.o., “Medijator” Mediation Centre, Bjelovar, Petra Hektorovića 2,
    medijator@medijator.com.hr;
3. Mediation Centre of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 2,
    mirenje@hgk.hr.