ABTA has confirmed that fees for its Arbitration scheme have been frozen, coming into effect from yesterday, 1 July 2014.

ABTA’s Arbitration scheme will continue to be handled by CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) who took over the scheme in 2011, streamlining the process and offering users substantial savings.

ABTA’s Arbitration scheme has been running for 40 years and is designed to provide a speedy 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. In 2013, the ABTA Arbitration scheme handled 267 cases and awarded over £165,000, the average award was £620.94.

ABTA’s announcement comes as the Government analyse the responses to a consultation on alternative dispute resolution. ABTA made a formal response before the closing date earlier this month, and Members can read the full submission via the Member Zone of www.abta.com.

Charles Fachiri ABTA Consumer Affairs Senior Manager 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.

John Munton, CEDR’s Director of Dispute Resolution Services 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. We look forward to working with ABTA, its Members and their customers in the years to come.”