DISP 1.2 Consumer awareness rules

To aid consumer awareness of the protections offered by the provisions in this chapter, respondents must:

1. (1)

   publish appropriate information regarding their internal procedures for the reasonable and prompt handling of complaints;

2. (2)

   refer eligible complainants to the availability of this information:

   1. (a)

      in relation to a payment service, in the information on out-of-court complaint and redress procedures required to be provided or made available under regulations 43(2)(e) (Information required prior to the conclusion of a single payment service contract) or 48 (Prior general information for framework contracts) of the Payment Services Regulations; or

   2. (aa)

      in relation to CBTL arrangers, in the information on registering complaints internally and out-of-court complaint and redress procedures provided under article 7(1)(h) of Schedule 2 to the MCD Order; or

   3. (b)

      otherwise, in writing at, or immediately after, the point of sale; and

   4. (c)

      in relation to a payment service, at the branch where the service is provided;

3. (3)

   provide such information in writing and free of charge to eligible complainants:

   1. (a)

      on request; and

   2. (b)

      when acknowledging a complaint; and

4. (4)

   provide information to eligible complainants, in a clear, comprehensible and easily accessible way, about the Financial Ombudsman Service including the Financial Ombudsman Service's website address:

   1. (a)

      on the respondent's website, where one exists; and

   2. (b)

      if applicable, in the general conditions of the respondent's contract with the eligible complainant.

Where the activity does not involve a sale, the obligation in DISP 1.2.1R(2)(b):

1. (1)

   shall apply at, or immediately after, the point when contact is first made with an eligible complainant; and

2. (2)

   where the respondent is a not-for-profit debt advice body:

   1. (a)

      may be met at, or immediately after, the point when contact is first made with an eligible complainant, by making an oral reference to the availability of the information if the respondent does not communicate with the eligible complainant in writing then; and

   2. (b)

      must be met in writing on the first occasion on which the respondent communicates with the eligible complainant in writing.