verbraucherschlichtung.at

Verbraucherschlichtung Austria (officially Schlichtung für Verbrauchergeschäfte) is a non-profit association that runs voluntary, free out-of-court mediation procedures between consumers and companies in Austria. It is one of eight state-recognized consumer dispute resolution bodies and handles cases that none of the other seven take on. It does not give individual legal advice, represent parties in court or file lawsuits.

Consumers can seek mediation for problems with purchases of goods, travel, tradespeople, warranty and guarantee, cancellation of subscriptions and memberships, insurance and foreign-currency loans. Companies take part voluntarily, and the service is financed by the Sozialministerium, the Sparte Bank und Versicherung of the Wirtschaftskammer, the state of Niederösterreich and the association's members. The website reports that for 2025 companies took part in 80% of procedures, and that 61% of the cases in its competence ended in a settlement (76% where companies participated).

Members of the association include the Bundesarbeitskammer, the Finanzmarktaufsicht, and the states of Burgenland and Oberösterreich, with Dr. Hermann Germ as chairman. The website lists a team of nine people, including mediator Dr. Irmgard Griss, LL.M., who led the pilot project "Schlichtung für Verbrauchergeschäfte" at VKI from 2013 to 2015 and has been a mediator since January 2016.

Product: Free, voluntary out-of-court mediation procedures, including legal assessments, settlement proposals and joint mediation talks between consumers and companies.