Arbitraje de Consumo: claim for free and without going to court
If a company sold you something dodgy and ignores you, Arbitraje de Consumo lets you solve it for free and without a lawyer. It's for consumers vs companies that sell goods or provide services in Spain.
What GovEasy does
- Prepares your case file and documentation
- Detects frequent errors before submission
- Saves your progress and reminds you of deadlines
What the agency does
Junta Arbitral de Consumo
- Receives and reviews your application
- Issues the resolution or official document
Guía completa
What you need to have to hand
- Identification: DNI/NIE o pasaporte.
- Company details: nombre fiscal, NIF/CIF, address and contact.
- Evidence: invoices, contracts, emails, screenshots, photos, repair reports.
- Prior complaint: copy and proof of receipt. Wait a reasonable reply (aprox. 1 mes).
- What you ask for: repair, refund, price reduction, contract termination or compensation and the amount.
Documentation
- DNI/NIE scanned.
- Invoice/ticket or contract and general conditions.
- Prior complaint to the company and its response (or silence with dates).
- Evidence of the defect or breach: screenshots, photos, reports, estimates.
- Authorisation if someone represents you, with DNIs.
Step by step
- Complain to the company in writing. No phone calls without a trace. Email, web form or burofax. Keep proof.
- Check your case fits arbitration on the Ministry site: https://www.consumo.gob.es/es/consumo/arbitraje-de-consumo.
- Write the request: identify the company, set out facts by date, attach evidence and specify your requests. Sign the document.
- File online via the REC: https://rec.redsara.es/registro/action/are/acceso.do. Recipient: your Junta Arbitral de Consumo (autonomous community or town hall). ID with Cl@ve or certificate and attach everything.
- Pay attention to notifications: they'll tell you if they admit it and if the company accepts arbitration. Reply to requests within the deadline (suele ser 10 días) and ask for a hearing if needed.
- Hearing (if any): usually remote. Be clear, present evidence and restate your requests.
- Laudo: it arrives by sede electrónica or post. If they don't comply, seek judicial enforcement of the laudo.
Tips that save you time
- Timeline: one page with dates and events. Makes life easier for the arbitral body.
- Number your evidence: P1, P2… and reference each in your account.
- Company silence: if they don't reply in ~30 days, say so and add proof of sending.
- Address the REC correctly: find the exact name of your Junta Arbitral and put it as the recipient organisation.
- Be realistic: ask what consumer law allows; avoid dramatic extras.
Common mistakes that can ruin the process
- Not complaining first to the company: they'll reject your file. No excuses.
- Excluded subject matter: injuries, crimes, private disputes… out.
- Loose documentation: no order or missing signature. Put it in order and sign the request.
- Not checking notifications: deadlines run out. Activate alerts on your sede and check the REC.
- Confusing it with mediation: this produces a binding laudo. If you lose, that's usually it unless annulment grounds apply.
- 1.First complain to the company in writing and keep evidence (email, web form or burofax). Wait a reasonable reply (aprox. 1 mes).
- 2.Go to https://www.consumo.gob.es/es/consumo/arbitraje-de-consumo and check your case fits (consumer issue, not injuries/crimes, etc.).
- 3.Draft your arbitration request: identify the company, list the facts in order, state what you want and attach all evidence. Sign the document.
- 4.File the application via the registro electrónico general (REC): https://rec.redsara.es/registro/action/are/acceso.do, addressing it to the Junta Arbitral de Consumo of your autonomous community or town hall. ID yourself with Cl@ve or a certificate and attach everything.
- 5.Watch for notifications: they'll tell you if they admit the arbitration and whether the company accepts (if it's not adhered it can refuse). Reply to requests and provide evidence within the deadline.
- 6.If you're summoned to a hearing (usually remote), join and present your case. Then wait for the laudo: it arrives by sede electrónica or post.
- 7.If the company doesn't comply with the laudo voluntarily, ask for its enforcement at the competent Juzgado submitting the laudo (it's enforceable).
- DNI/NIE o pasaporte (your ID scanned or a legible photo)
- Details of the company you are claiming against: nombre fiscal, NIF/CIF if you have it, address and contact
- Your prior complaint to the company and their reply (or proof of sending and the date if they ignored you)
- Invoice/ticket, contract or proof of purchase, and applicable general terms and conditions
- Evidence of the problem: emails, screenshots, photos, repair reports, estimates, recordings of incidents
- Amount you claim and the specific remedy you request (refund, repair, compensation, etc.)
- If someone represents you: signed authorisation and a copy of both DNIs
The company can say no
If it's not adhered to the Sistema Arbitral de Consumo, it can reject the arbitration. In that case the file is closed and you'll need another route (OMIC, regional consumer authority or court).
Subjects that DO NOT enter
Excludes poisonings, injuries, death or cases with signs of crime. Also not for labour disputes, conflicts between private individuals or housing rentals.
The laudo is binding
The arbitral laudo is binding and enforceable. This isn't mediation. You can only seek annulment for very limited grounds, not to reopen the merits of the case.
Prior complaint is mandatory
If you can't prove you complained to the company first, they may dismiss it. Keep receipts and dates; that's the typical thing that ruins a file if missing.
¿Qué necesito para completar Arbitraje de Consumo sin que me lo rechacen?
Arbitraje de Consumo es gratuito en Junta Arbitral de Consumo y se puede presentar por cuenta propia. El punto que interrumpe el trámite es que el trámite se completa en la sede electrónica del organismo, sin margen de corrección tras el envío. Además, el formulario tiene 5 pasos y la sesión de la sede caduca antes de terminar si se interrumpe. GovEasy prepara el expediente completo y comprueba los datos antes de tocar la sede.
- GovEasy (extensión de navegador)
What if the company isn't adhered to the arbitration?
The Junta will ask if it accepts the arbitration. If it refuses, the case is archived. There's no penalty for saying no. Your options: OMIC/regional consumer authority or go to court.
Do I need a lawyer or procurator?
No. The procedure is designed for you to do it yourself. That said, the better you order evidence and requests, the higher the chance of success.
Can I claim compensation or only repairs/refunds?
You can ask for what consumer law allows: repair, replacement, price reduction, contract termination and, if you prove it, compensation for damages. Serious personal injuries don't go through arbitration.
How long does it really take?
Normally between 1 and 4 months. If the company accepts quickly and it's straightforward, it flies. If there are expert reports or busy schedules, it drags.
What if the company ignores the laudo?
Request judicial enforcement of the laudo. It's an enforceable instrument. With a firm laudo, the court can seize assets if needed.
Does arbitration affect warranty or time limits?
Don't rely on assumptions. Claim within deadlines and keep evidence. Arbitration shouldn't harm you, but what matters is you claimed in time.
¿Qué es Arbitraje de Consumo y ante qué organismo se presenta?
Arbitraje de Consumo es un trámite gestionado por Junta Arbitral de Consumo. Resolución extrajudicial gratuita de conflictos entre consumidores y empresas a través de la Junta Arbitral de Consumo.
¿Cuánto cuesta realizar Arbitraje de Consumo?
Arbitraje de Consumo es gratuito. No se aplica ninguna tasa oficial al solicitante.
¿Cuánto tarda Arbitraje de Consumo?
El tiempo estimado para Arbitraje de Consumo es 1–4 meses. Puede variar según la carga del organismo Junta Arbitral de Consumo y la complejidad del expediente.
¿Qué sistema de identificación necesito para Arbitraje de Consumo?
Para Arbitraje de Consumo el usuario no requiere identificación digital. Si no dispones del medio exigido, valora alternativas presenciales o apoderamiento.
¿Arbitraje de Consumo necesita cita previa?
No, Arbitraje de Consumo se puede iniciar sin cita previa. Puedes comenzar directamente por la sede electrónica o ventanilla correspondiente.
¿Arbitraje de Consumo se puede presentar online?
Sí, la mayoría de las administraciones autonómicas de consumo permiten presentar Arbitraje de Consumo por su sede electrónica con identificación digital.
¿En qué plazo resuelven Arbitraje de Consumo?
Las oficinas de consumo suelen resolver Arbitraje de Consumo en un plazo orientativo de 3 a 6 meses, sin perjuicio de procedimientos de mediación o arbitraje voluntarios.
¿Qué necesito para completar Arbitraje de Consumo sin que me lo rechacen?
Arbitraje de Consumo no admite corrección tras el envío. GovEasy lo rellena y valida con su extensión antes de enviarlo. Arbitraje de Consumo es gratuito en Junta Arbitral de Consumo y se puede presentar por cuenta propia. El punto que interrumpe el trámite es que el trámite se completa en la sede electrónica del organismo, sin margen de corrección tras el envío. Además, el formulario tiene 5 pasos y la sesión de la sede caduca antes de terminar si se interrumpe. GovEasy prepara el expediente completo y comprueba los datos antes de tocar la sede.
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Acción inmediata
Inicia la preparación guiada
goveasy puede iniciar una preparación guiada y acompañarte hasta el paso oficial, pero la resolución final sigue dependiendo del organismo.
Your progress
50%- Understand
- Prepare
- Submit
- Track
Your next step
1.First complain to the company in writing and keep evidence (email, web form or burofax). Wait a reasonable reply (aprox. 1 mes).
- We validate documentation before submission
- Your progress is saved: continue any time
- We alert you about deadlines and status changes
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