# The Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, Article 51B: Extension of time limits because of alternative dispute resolution in certain consumer contract disputes

Extent: N.I.

(1) Paragraph (2) applies where—
(a) there is ADR in relation to a consumer contract dispute giving rise to an action for which a time limit is fixed by this Order; and
(b) the time limit would, apart from this Article, expire—
(i) after the date on which the ADR starts but before the date on which it ends;
(ii) on the date on which the ADR ends; or
(iii) in the period of 8 weeks after the date on which the ADR ends.
(2) Where this paragraph applies, the time limit is extended so that it expires on the date falling 8 weeks after the date on which the ADR ends.
(3) For the purposes of this Article, ADR starts in relation to a 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.
(4) For the purposes of this Article, the ADR ends on the date of the first of these to occur—
(a) the parties reach an agreement in resolution of the consumer contract dispute;
(b) a party completes the notification of the other parties that it has withdrawn from the ADR;
(c) 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) that the ADR entity notifies the party that submitted the consumer contract dispute to the ADR entity that, in accordance with its policy, the ADR entity refuses to deal with the consumer contract dispute;
(e) after the parties are notified that the ADR entity can no longer act in relation to the consumer contract dispute (for whatever reason), the parties fail to agree within 14 days to submit the dispute to an alternative ADR entity;
(f) the ADR otherwise comes to an end pursuant to the rules of the ADR entity.
(5) In this Article—
“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;
“qualifying request” is a request by a party that another (A) confirm to all parties that A is continuing with the ADR.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1989/1339/article/51B (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/limitation-northern-ireland-order-1989/article-51B
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.