Ofcom to improve complaint handling

Changes to the way that customer complaints are handled in the telecommunications sector have been proposed by Ofcom.

Under the new plans, customers with complaints would have a shorter wait before they could use an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme and all communications providers would be limited to how much they can charge for telephone calls to lines that deal with complaints.

The industry regulator also wants to introduce a single complaints Code of Practice which all communications providers have to comply with.

Ofcom proposed a requirement for companies to keep records of complaints for 15 months so their performance could be assessed regularly. Any company in breach of the regulations could be fined up to 10 per cent of its annual turnover.

Ed Richards, Ofcom's chief executive said, "Effective complaints handling and an accessible scheme for resolving disputes ensure that individual consumers are able to seek redress when things go wrong.

"Inadequate or inappropriate procedures can cause significant harm and detriment to consumers," he continued.

However, don't expect the changes to happen any time soon - Ofcom has only just begun the consultation process, which will run until 4 October, and a statement on the matter will not be published until early 2009.

Have you had problems with inadequate complaints procedures? What do you think of Ofcom's proposals? Have your say in the Web User forums.

www.ofcom.org.uk