The Hellenic Ombudsman for Banking-Investment Services (H.O.B.I.S.) is a private, non-profit entity which was set up on 2005, the capital of which involves the Hellenic Bank Association (H.B.A), the Association of Members of the Athens Stock Exchange and the Hellenic Fund and Asset Management Association. It considers fairly, impartially, openly and free of charge, disputes arising from the provision of financial products and services, aiming at their amicable settlement. The H.O.B.I.S. can be addressed by consumers, professionals and small businesses (companies with annual turnover of up to € 1.000.000).
H.O.B.I.S. examines disputes arising from the provision of financial products and services offered by banks and investment service providers (hereinafter “providers”), who participate in or cooperate with the scheme and are based in Greece.
The Ombudsman also considers cross-border disputes as a member of FIN-NET (Cross – Border Out-of-Court Complaints Network for Financail Services) (http://ec.europa.eu/fin-net), providing information and assistance to consumers residing in Greece to resolve disputes that were created by banking or investment transactions in another Member State of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA), and complaints by consumers residing in other EU and EEA member states which arose from transactions with providers based in Greece, that participate in or cooperate with the scheme.
It is clarified that the Ombudsman does not consider or ceases to consider a dispute on the grounds that:
- You did not attempt to contact the service provider in order to discuss your complaint and seek, as a first step, to resolve the matter directly with the trader.
- The dispute is being or has previously been considered by another ADR entity or by a court.
- The dispute is frivolous or vexatious.
- Complaints have not been submitted to H.O.B.I.S. within one (1) year from the date upon which they were submitted to the provider.
- Dealing with such a type of dispute would seriously impair H.O.B.I.S. effective operation.