Costs and payment

The standard base fee is EUR 600.00 net per case: EUR 150.00 for the Business User and EUR 450.00 for the Platform. The upfront Business User fee is fixed and is not automatically increased when additional work is approved.

All stated fee amounts are exclusive of VAT. The Maltese standard VAT rate is 18%; the applicable VAT treatment and total payable are displayed before payment.

The initial EUR 450.00 Platform share and EUR 150.00 Business User share are provisional for any final allocation required by the Rules of procedure. At the end of the case, the Case Mediator suggests the reasonable proportion for the Platform after considering the relative merits of the parties' positions, their conduct, and their relative size and financial strength. This suggestion is not a decision on the merits or a costs award and does not determine either party's substantive rights. Any resulting adjustment is reviewed by Finance under the applicable law and the Platform's standing scheme agreement; it does not automatically change the upfront Business User fee.

The Business User reviews the complaint and declarations before paying the EUR 150.00 net case submission fee through secure Stripe checkout. With 18% VAT, this is EUR 150.00 plus EUR 27.00 VAT, totalling EUR 177.00. The fee counts toward the Business User's base share. Once the payment provider confirms the fee, the reviewed complaint is submitted automatically for eligibility review. Without an explicit Pay and submit instruction, payment alone does not submit the complaint. Payment does not confirm eligibility. P2B Disputes does not store complete card details.

Time beyond the standard base coverage is charged at EUR 180.00 net per hour and requires the Platform's prior written approval where additional time is expected. Total mediation fees are capped at EUR 1,500.00 net per case, excluding VAT. Additional charges are reviewed and approved before billing. The Platform is invoiced separately for its share.

For services billed under the Maltese VAT rules, a Business User VAT ID is optional. Business Users in Malta pay 18% VAT, including those with a VAT ID. Business Users elsewhere in the EU without a VAT ID also pay 18%. For a Business User in another EU Member State with a verified valid VAT ID, reverse charge applies and no Maltese VAT is charged; the invoice shows both VAT IDs and the reverse-charge notice. Services to Business Users established outside the EU are treated as outside the scope of Maltese VAT. The applicable tariff, VAT calculation and total are fixed at checkout, so later changes do not alter an existing payment. The case submission fee is non-refundable except where a refund is required by applicable law or expressly approved following Finance review. Any refund is recorded with the corresponding VAT adjustment.