Postcomm publishes proposed complaint handling regulations

Following consultation in January 2008 on complaint handling standards, Postcomm has published its proposed complaint handling regulations.

The proposed regulations come from key issues raised by stakeholders in response to the consultation, suggestions from the industry working group for licensed postal operators (facilitated by Postcomm), and relevant best practice.

The key elements of the regulations are:

– a definition of complaint – a common definition provides consumers and companies with some clarity and assurance that companies are operating on the same basis, and assists with cross industry comparison. The BS ISO definition has been adapted for use by Postcomm to work within the context of the complaint handling standards regulations;
– a requirement to have a complaint handling procedure – the complaint handling standards set out the information which must be included in the complaint handling procedure but do not prescribe the specific processes or timescales to be followed;
– a requirement for complaints to be recorded on receipt and updated on any subsequent contact – this helps to address consumers’ concerns about having to repeat details more than once, provides a clear starting point for redress, and a way for licensed postal operators to identify underlying problems;
a requirement to signpost the complaint handling procedure – to ensure a consumer is aware of the complaint handling procedure when they make subsequent contact to the licensed postal operator indicating their complaint is not complete;
– a requirement to deal with consumer complaints in an efficient and timely manner – licensed postal operators will be required to maintain adequate resources to enable them to handle and process consumer complaints in an efficient and timely manner;
– a requirement to signpost consumers to the redress scheme – when the specified time period has expired or deadlock has been reached a licensed postal operator must send the consumer key information about the redress scheme;
– a requirement to have appropriate arrangements in place with the new NCC for any complaint referrals – this will ensure there are appropriate arrangements in place for effectively managing referrals of complaints from vulnerable consumers from the new NCC to licensed postal operators; and
– a requirement to publish complaints data – licensed postal operators must publish specific complaints data annually . Postcomm will review these annual reports and will formally review the regulations in 2010/2011.

The consultation will be open for four weeks and will close on 31 July 2008. Postcomm will then make the regulations prescribing the complaint handling standards before seeking the Secretary of State’s approval. It is Postcomm’s intention that the complaint handling standards regulations will come into effect on 1 October 2008.