In 2019, Latvian Consumer Dispute Resolution Commission received a total of 176 applications, up by 58 applications YoY, as reported by Consumer Awareness and Communication Office head Santa Zarane.
Over the course of 2019 the commission received the majority of applications (94) detailing complaints related to the compliance of the quality of goods with standards. The second largest number of complaints (47) is related to Section 30 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, which governs consumers’ rights in cases when goods or services are not provided within a set term, says Zarane.
Of the 176 applications in 14 cases disputes were resolved before a meeting of the commission was organized, which means businessmen had complied with requests from consumers or had provided alternative solutions consumers found satisfactory. In 139 cases commission meetings were organized and in 115 cases of which members of the commission decided to satisfy consumers’ claims against entrepreneurs. In 16 cases consumers’ requests were rejected. In eight cases procedures for dispute resolution were ended due to shortage of evidence.
Both consumers and entrepreneurs actively use the option to submit evidence to justify their opinions when resolving disputes.
In 2019 the commission was provided with video materials, photos, written reports from specialists and conclusions from examinations. Consumers also actively use the option to present goods to the commission. Often consumers bring items like grass trimmers, shoes, coats, silk nightwear sets, leather wallets, leather belts, mobile phones and other items with defects. (BNN/Business World Magazine)