Fees for Abta’s compliants arbitration scheme have been frozen from July 1.
The scheme handled 267 cases last year and awarded more than £165,000, with the average award being £620.94.
The association’s consumer affairs senior manager Charles Fachiri said: “We are very pleased to be able to secure a continued price freeze and hope that this will encourage consumers and Abta members to continue to use this effective complaints solution – which is often a much more cost effective route than going through the courts.”
The service will continue to be handled by Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, which took over the scheme in 2011, streamlining the process and offering users savings.
The arbitration scheme has been running for 40 years and is designed to provide a quick and cost-effective complaints resolution for consumers and Abta members.
It allows disputes to be resolved without going to court and is conducted privately based on written documentation and evidence.
CEDR dispute resolution services director John Munton said: “We are delighted that Abta has renewed CEDR’s contract to administer the independent Abta arbitration scheme.
“Over the last three years Abta and CEDR have worked very hard to ensure the scheme provides an efficient, fair and balanced independent process which reduces the financial cost and personal burden of disputes for all concerned whist retaining the confidence of both the general public and the Abta members alike.”
Abta’s arbitration prices are:
Cost of claim Cost to claimant
£1.00 – £2,999.99 £108.00 (£90 + VAT)
£3,000.00 – £7,499.99 £180.00 (£150 + VAT)
£7,500.00 – £25,000.00 £264.00 (£220 + VAT)