Article 13 of the Saudi Payments and Payment Services Law

This article sets a mandatory stage before litigation in payment disputes:

• Disputes covered: disputes arising between parties to payment systems and providers of payment services.
• Timing: before the dispute is brought before the competent judicial body, it is subject to amicable settlement procedures.
• Procedures: the regulations set them; the article does not state their details or the body that handles them.
• Duration: the settlement procedures may not exceed 30 days from the date they are registered.
• Extension: this period may be exceeded only if the parties to the dispute agree in writing to extend it; under the text, an oral agreement is not enough.

In practice, someone with a dispute of this kind starts with amicable settlement as the regulations set, and this stage does not last longer than 30 days from its registration unless the parties agree in writing on a longer period.

Article 14 refers to this article, as it makes deciding disputes a matter for the competent judicial body subject to what Article 13 provides. The preceding Article 12 concerns penalties and appeals against the Central Bank's decisions. Anyone with an existing dispute would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in banking and finance and payment systems to learn the steps suitable for his case.