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UK Law Reference
All sections of Limitation Act 1980
1980 c. 58, s.33B

Section 33B — Extension of time limits because of alternative dispute resolution in certain consumer contract disputes

Extent: E+W

This version in force from 2026-04-06

Snapshot: 2026-08-24

Reproduced from legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). Amendments made after 2026-08-24 may not be reflected — always check the official text .

(1) [F1 [F2 In this section—“ADR” has the same meaning as in Chapter 4 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024; “ADR entity” means a person who carries out ADR in compliance with section 293(1) of that Act (which prohibits persons from carrying out ADR unless exempt, accredited, or acting under special ADR arrangements, in accordance with Chapter 4 of Part 4 of that Act); “consumer contract dispute” has the same meaning as in Chapter 4 of Part 4 of that Act.]]

(2) [F1 Subsection (3) applies where—]

(a) [F1 a time limit under this Act relates to the subject of the whole or part of a [F3 consumer contract dispute];]

(b) [F1 [F4 ADR] in relation to the [F5 consumer contract dispute] starts before the time limit expires; and ]

(c) [F1 if not extended by this section, the time limit would expire before [F6 the ADR] ends or less than eight weeks after it ends. ]

(3) [F1 For the purposes of initiating judicial proceedings, the time limit expires instead at the end of eight weeks after [F7 the ADR] ends (subject to subsection (4)). ]

(4) [F1 If a time limit has been extended by this section, subsections (2) and (3) apply to the extended time limit as they apply to a time limit mentioned in subsection (2)(a).]

(5) [F1 Where more than one time limit applies in relation to a [F8 consumer contract dispute], the extension by subsection (3) of one of those time limits does not affect the others.]

(6) [F1 For the purposes of this section, [F9 ADR] starts in relation to a [F10 consumer contract dispute] on the date when the dispute is first sent or otherwise communicated to the ADR entity in accordance with the entity’s rules regarding the submission of complaints. ]

(7) [F1 For the purposes of this section, [F11 the ADR] ends on the date of the first of these to occur— ]

(a) [F1 the parties reach an agreement in resolution of the [F12 consumer contract dispute];]

(b) [F1 a party completes the notification of the other parties that it has withdrawn from [F11 the ADR]; ]

(c) [F1 a party to whom a qualifying request is made fails to give a response reaching the other parties within 14 days of the request;]

(d) [F1 the ADR entity notifies the party that submitted the [F12 consumer contract dispute] to the ADR entity that, in accordance with its policy, the ADR entity refuses to deal with the [F12 consumer contract dispute]; ]

(e) [F1 after the parties are notified that the ADR entity can no longer act in relation to the [F12 consumer contract dispute] (for whatever reason), the parties fail to agree within 14 days to submit the dispute to an alternative ADR entity; ]

(f) [F1 [F11 the ADR] otherwise comes to an end pursuant to the rules of the ADR entity. ]

(8) [F1 For the purpose of subsection (7), a qualifying request is a request by a party that another (A) confirm to all parties that A is continuing with [F13 the ADR]. ]

(9) [F1 In the case of any [F14 consumer contract dispute], references in this section to [F15 ADR] are references to [F16 the ADR] so far as it relates to that dispute, and references to a party are to be read accordingly. ]

Amendment notes

  1. F1 S. 33B and preceding cross-heading inserted (9.7.2015) by The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1392), regs. 1(2), 4(3) (with reg. 1(3))
  2. F2 S. 33B(1) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(3); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  3. F3 Words in s. 33B(2)(a) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(4)(a); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  4. F4 Word in s. 33B(2)(b) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(5)(a); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  5. F5 Words in s. 33B(2)(b) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(4)(a); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  6. F6 Words in s. 33B(2)(c) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(6)(a); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  7. F7 Words in s. 33B(3) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(6)(b); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  8. F8 Words in s. 33B(5) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(4)(b); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  9. F9 Word in s. 33B(6) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(5)(b); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  10. F10 Words in s. 33B(6) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(4)(c); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  11. F11 Words in s. 33B(7) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(6)(c); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  12. F12 Words in s. 33B(7) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(4)(d); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  13. F13 Words in s. 33B(8) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(6)(d); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  14. F14 Words in s. 33B(9) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(4)(e); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  15. F15 Word in s. 33B(9) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(5)(c); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)
  16. F16 Words in s. 33B(9) substituted (6.4.2026) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 27 para. 2(6)(e); S.I. 2026/284, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(5)