How can I request a general administrative supervisory procedure regarding a postal matter?

Handling of complaints at the postal service provider

Pursuant to Article 57 of Act CLIX of 2012 on Postal Services (hereinafter: Postal Services Act), the responsibility for investigating complaints related to the handling of postal items and the performance of postal services lies primarily with the postal service provider. The service provider has 30 days to investigate written complaints. Postal service providers are required to carry out a substantive investigation of complaints, and to inform the customer in writing of the outcome of such investigations, in sufficient detail to provide a clear and unambiguous response to all of the customer’s objections. Customers may find information on how to submit a complaint and on the complaint management procedure by contacting the postal service provider's customer service, or in the General Terms and Conditions (GTC).

Initiating a supervisory procedure with the Authority

If the postal service provider does not reply to a complaint within the deadline, or if the customer believes that the provider has not complied with the provisions of the legislation on postal services, the customer may refer the matter to the Authority within 30 days of receipt of the reply — or, in the absence of a reply, from the expiry of the response deadline — and initiate a supervisory procedure. It is important to note, however, that the request must be submitted no later than 30 days following receipt of the service provider's response to the complaint. If you have not received a reply from the service provider, these 30 days are counted from the expiry of the deadline for a response. Unfortunately, it is not possible to submit a request for matters older than this.

It is important to emphasise that within its supervisory competence, the Authority only examines whether the postal service provider has acted in accordance with the Postal Act and its implementing regulations, as well as its own General Terms and Conditions. It has no power to settle disputes between postal service providers and their clients. It also does not make decisions regarding compensation claims for damaged, lost or delayed parcels. In such cases, the dispute resolution rules of the postal service contract concluded between the postal service provider and the customer shall apply. Information on these may be requested from the postal service provider, or may be found in the GTC. As an alternative dispute resolution forum, clients may also turn to the county or the Budapest arbitration boards. Information on the arbitration procedure and the contact details of the boards can be found at https://bekeltetes.hu

Following a request, the Authority shall investigate the conduct of the service provider as indicated by the party submitting the request, and if it finds that there has been an infringement of the applicable legislation, it shall require that the infringing activity be ceased, and shall impose a sanction where appropriate. During these proceedings, the applicant shall be considered a client, and shall therefore be entitled to the rights and obligations of a client.
When submitting your request, please be mindful of the following requirements.

Form- and content-based requirements of the request

• The request must be submitted to the Authority in writing, and must include identifying information (name and address)
• The request must specify the matter for which the Authority is being requested to initiate proceedings, as well as which conduct of the postal service provider is believed to be unlawful
• The requesting party should also attach any evidence and documents in their possession that can support the request
• If the requesting party wishes to submit their request through an authorised representative, the signed authorisation must be attached to the submission

They may submit their request in the following ways

• by post: NMHH Postafelügyelet, Pf. 75, Budapest, 1525, Hungary
• via e-paper: https://epapir.gov.hu/
• by filling in the electronic form published on the Authority's website: Űrlap postai panasz benyújtásához
• in person at the Authority's customer service offices during opening hours: Contact details and opening hours of the NMHH customer service offices

Fee payable for the supervisory procedure

If you wish to initiate official proceedings, please note that a fee of HUF 6,000 is payable for the procedure pursuant Article 13(5) of Decree No.5/2011 (X. 6.) NMHH on the administrative service fees of certain procedures of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority and the method of payment thereof. Applicants shall comply with their payment obligation through bank transfer made to payment account No. 10032000-00300939-00000017 of the Authority held with the Hungarian State Treasury, or – in the case of natural persons – by cash transfer order (yellow cheque). A cash transfer order may be requested from the Authority's customer service before submitting the request, or the Authority can send one by post upon request after the request has been submitted.

To pay the procedural fee, a payment identifier must be requested in advance.

The form to request a payment identifier is available here:

Form for requesting a payment ID

The Authority shall send the payment ID by email to the address provided on the form. When paying the fee, the requested payment ID must be indicated in the comment field of the bank transfer or cash transfer order, using the format NMHH-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. The payment ID must also be included in the request.