CDRL

Key Information

Below are some key bits of information that apply to all of our ADR schemes; you should bear these in mind when using our services.

If you’d like to see our specific scheme rules & policies in depth, please download these on our Resources Page.

1. Our Credentials & Promises

All of the CDRL ADR schemes abide by The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (as Amended).

We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of service. At CDRL, you can expect:

Independence
Our independence is at the heart of everything that we do. As such, all stakeholders of our service (consumers, companies and regulators) can rest assured that we are not influenced by any party, organisation or any other external source. In this respect, our decisions are based on the facts of the complaint, evidence produced, the applicable law and regulations; and where appropriate, what is fair and reasonable.

Expertise
Our entire team is highly trained and skilled in their respective claims field. Final Determinations/Arbitral Awards are delivered by qualified Adjudicators/Arbitrators (as appropriate).

Transparency
As an independent, impartial organisation, it is vitally important that we operate like an ‘open book’ so that all stakeholders have complete trust and confidence in the decisions we make.

Resolution Time-frames
Once we have collected all relevant information and evidence from the parties and established a Complete Complaint File, we will issue a Final Determination within:

60 Days for our Adjudication schemes
30 Days for our Arbitration schemes

2. Our Service Standards

You can expect the following when using an ADR scheme operated by CDRL:

• We will always be polite and courteous in our dealings with you

• We will provide/receive information in different formats upon request, and will endeavour to accommodate all of your needs

• We will review all information and evidence that you provide (unless provided outside of the allocated timeframe)

• We will use plain English in all of our communications wherever possible

• We will be fair to both parties throughout the procedure

• We will act in an impartial manner at all times

3. Languages

All CDRL schemes can accept and conduct claims in English.

All of our websites and portals now have a translation option that covers many of the most commonly spoken languages, such as the following:

English
Spanish
Italian
Portuguese
German
French
Russian
Dutch
Arabic
Mandarin

Please let us know if your native language is not available, and we will gladly add it to our sites for you.

4. Final Decisions Process

Our Final Determinations/Arbitral Awards (as appropriate) are always based on:

The facts and evidence provided by both parties
What is fair and reasonable in the circumstances
Being in accordance with applicable laws and regulations

When making a decision we also apply the following principles:

Who has the ‘burden of proof’ – meaning which party, in law, must prove its case; and

- Which party’s position is ‘more likely than not to be correct’ (known as the ‘Balance of Probabilities’ test)

CDRL will notify the parties of the outcome of the ADR procedure on a durable medium and provide a Final Determination / Arbitral Award (as appropriate) containing the grounds on which the outcome is based.

5. What are the possible outcomes of bringing your dispute to us?

Where we uphold a complaint, in whole or in part, we can require a participating member to take steps such as:

Taking practical action to put things right (for example, correcting or cancelling an account, arranging a repair, replacement or refund, or correcting an error)
Offering an apology
Offering a financial award of up to £25,000
A combination of these

What we cannot do:

Punish or penalise a participating member
Impose fines
Dictate how a business operates commercially
Award compensation beyond the limits set out in the relevant scheme rules

The outcome of an adjudication (a Determination) is binding on the participating member only if you, the consumer, accept it. Under the Consumer Arbitration Scheme, the outcome is an Award made under the Arbitration Act 1996, which is binding on both parties.

6. How long does it take?

This varies with the complexity of your case. Once we have received all the information and evidence from both parties and established a Complete Complaint File:

For our adjudication schemes (AviationADR, RetailADR, UtilitiesADR), we will issue a Determination within 90 days.
For the Consumer Arbitration Scheme, the arbitrator will issue an Award within 30 days.

7. Reasons we may be unable to investigate your dispute

In most cases we can help. Occasionally, we are unable to investigate — for example:

If you have not yet given the participating member the opportunity to resolve the complaint through its own process, or the required period has not yet passed
If you have already accepted an offer of resolution, or agreed with the participating member that the matter is resolved
If you have asked a court to consider the same issue, or a court has already decided on it
If the same dispute has already been determined by us or by another ADR scheme
If your application is brought outside the time limit set out in the scheme rules
If the complaint concerns something the relevant scheme does not cover
If we consider the complaint to be frivolous or vexatious
If dealing with the complaint would seriously impair the effective operation of the scheme

If we are unable to take your complaint forward, we will explain why and, where possible, tell you what other options may be available to you.