Complaints and assistance

The consumer shall  complain without delay against every non conformity to the contract, so that the organizer or his local representative can solve the issue. If this is not possible, the complaint shall be sent through recorded letter to the organizer or the intermediary no later than 10 working days after the return from the holiday. It is useful to add proofs like documents or pictures that can show the problems suffered.

If the consumer does not get any satisfying reply, he can consider trying the extra judicial path: shorter, cheaper and without need of a legal assistance in comparison to the civil justice. There are ADR ( alternative dispute resolution) bodies for the extra judicial resolution of disputes, in particular, this type of service can be offered by arbitral commissions of the Chambers of Commerce.

Consumers’ associations offer assistance in case of disputes. For example Adiconsum branches can assist the consumer, evaluate the case, help him in submitting the claim and also assisting him during the mediation. More information here: www.adiconsum.it

In case of cross-border disputes within the EU ( when the consumer and the trader are from two different EU states), the ECC-Net can help by offering legal and linguistic assistance.

NB: the Italian law on package holidays is the result of the EU Directive 90/314/CEE, transposed in every Member State, therefore a consumer is protected in every Member State when buying a package holiday.