Internal Complaint-Handling System Rules for Business Users of Bolt

Last Updated: 15 June 2022

§ 1. Scope of application

These Internal Complaint-Handling System Rules ("Rules") provide a framework of handling complaints of business users referred to in points 1) - 3) who use the following online intermediation services, as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 ("Regulation ↗"), provided by Bolt Operations OÜ, a private limited company incorporated and registered under the laws of Republic of Estonia with registration code 14532901, registered office Vana-Lõuna tn 15, Tallinn 10134, Republic of Estonia, or its affiliates in the member state of the European Union or European Economic Area ("Member State")as well as in the United Kingdom, provided by Bolt Services UK ltd. (a limited company incorporated and registered in the United Kingdom with company number 11063356, having its registered office at Studio 4 114 Power Road, London, W4 5PY).:

  1. services provided through Bolt ride hailing platform that facilitate offering of passenger transportation services by drivers or fleet companies;

  2. services provided through Bolt Food platform that facilitate offering of meals or other goods respectively by restaurant operators or other partners;

  3. services provided through Bolt Food and Bolt Business Delivery platforms that facilitate offering of courier services by couriers.

§ 2. Requirements for complaints

(1) Bolt reviews a complaint submitted under these Rules if the complaint relates to the following issues:

  1. alleged non-compliance by Bolt with any obligations laid down in the Regulation which affects the business user lodging the complaint ("the complainant");

  2. technological issues which relate directly to the provision of online intermediation services, and which affect the complainant;

  3. measures taken by, or behaviour of, Bolt which relate directly to the provision of the online intermediation services, and which affect the complainant.

(2) Bolt is not obliged to process the complaint under these Rules if in its reasonable opinion the logged complaint:

  1. amounts to no more than ordinary customer support request that has been properly processed and resolved by the member of Bolt's customer support team;

  2. amounts to no more than dissatisfaction with Bolt's general policies or with the exercise of its discretion where no unprofessional or other misconduct, mistake, error, lack of care, unreasonable delay, bias or lack of integrity is alleged;

  3. is clearly unfounded, including cases where the complainant does not act in good faith or where the complaint is clearly fictitious, frivolous or vexatious;

  4. represents a new complaint concerning the same complainant and the same subject matter which has already been considered and ruled by Bolt in accordance with these Rules;

  5. does not meet the eligibility requirements set forth in sections (3) and (4).

(3) The complainant shall submit the complaint in writing through Bolt customer support channe(s) available to the complainant in the given Member State. The complaint:

  1. must be made with a clear request demanding processing of the complaint in accordance with these Rules;

  2. has to be submitted in plain and comprehensive English or the official language of the Member State where the complainant operates;

  3. must be made as soon as possible but not later than thirty (30) days following the date on which the complainant first became aware or should have reasonably become aware of the circumstances giving rise to the complaint;

  4. must include at least the following information and documents:

i) name, registration number and contact details (e-mail, phone number) of the complainant;

ii) plain description of facts, chronology (dates and times) and alleged violations, including references to the relevant provisions of the Regulation, applicable law or terms and conditions that Bolt has allegedly breached;

iii) documents and evidence supporting the complaint (e.g. documentary evidence, calculation of direct losses);

iv) clearly stated requests of the complainant, and justifications thereof.

§ 3. Processing of the complaint by the investigator

(1) Bolt shall acknowledge the receipt of complaint within 10 working days following the date of receipt.

(2) The member of the complaint handling unit of Bolt ("investigator") investigates and rules on the complaint in accordance with these Rules and the applicable law by having due regard to principles of transparency, impartiality and equal treatment of equivalent situations.

(3) The investigator aims to complete the investigation and rule on the outcome of the investigation within 45 days of receipt of a complete complaint ("investigation period"), unless it is necessary to extend the investigation period due to the complexity of circumstances of the matter. The complainant shall be notified about the extension of investigation period and the reasons for such extension.

(4) The term of the investigation period is suspended during the period when:

  1. Bolt has requested additional information and documents from the complainant that are necessary to assess the complaint;

  2. Bolt and complainant have commenced negotiations with a view to settle the complaint by agreement.

(5) The complainant shall be reasonably available to the investigator during the investigation and provide all the information, documents or reasonable assistance without undue delay, as the Investigator may reasonably require in connection with the complaint. The complainant provides all such assistance to the Investigator at its own expense.

(6) If the investigator rejects, fully or partly, the complaint, it provides in writing and in reasonable detail the reasons for its ruling, and notifies the complainant about the right to refer the matter to the mediation in accordance with § 4. If the Investigator satisfies the complaint fully, it does not have to provide reasons for its decision.

§ 4 Mediation

Complainant who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation or with Bolt's progress in investigating and resolving the complaint may refer the matter to one of the sworn advocates who has been entered to the list of mediators ↗ by the Estonian Bar Association.

§ 5. Final provisions

These Rules, including any attempt to resolve the complaint by Bolt or reach an agreement through mediation, shall not affect the rights of the complainant or Bolt to initiate judicial proceedings at any time before, during or after the complaint-handling or mediation process.