PART 3Transitional provisions
CHAPTER 4Complaints: the Legal Ombudsman and the Financial Ombudsman Service
Procedure for dealing with relevant complaints71
1
In this article “scheme rules” means rules made under paragraph 14(1) of Schedule 17 to the 2000 Act (the scheme operator’s rules).
2
A relevant existing complaint is to be treated as if it had been referred in accordance with any applicable procedure for reference of complaints set out in scheme rules.
3
Relevant complaints are to be dealt with in accordance with the procedure for the investigation, consideration and determination of complaints set out in scheme rules, and for those purposes scheme rules apply with the modifications in paragraphs (4) to (7).
4
In determining a relevant existing complaint, an ombudsman is to have no regard to rules made under paragraph 14(2)(a) of Schedule 17 to the 2000 Act (rules specifying matters to be taken into account in determining whether an act or omission was fair and reasonable).
5
Where an ombudsman is deciding whether to dismiss a complaint without a consideration of its merits in accordance with rules made under paragraph 14(2)(b) and (3) of Schedule 17 to the 2000 Act (“relevant rules”)—
a
paragraph (6) applies if the complaint is a relevant existing complaint; and
b
paragraphs (6) and (7) apply if the complaint is a relevant new complaint.
6
An ombudsman must consider whether the complaint would have been dismissed under the rules of the former scheme, if the decision were being made immediately before 1st April 2019, and if the ombudsman considers that the complaint—
a
would have been dismissed under the rules of the former scheme; or
b
should be dismissed under the relevant rules,
the ombudsman may dismiss the complaint.
7
The corresponding rules of the former scheme are to be read as if they were subject to paragraph 13 of Schedule 3 to the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015106 (grounds to refuse to deal with a dispute).
8
Paragraph (9) applies to a relevant existing complaint where—
a
the complainant accepted a determination under section 137 of the 2007 Act before 1st April 2019; and
b
a direction contained in that determination had not been complied with on or before that date.
9
A direction made under—
a
section 137(2)(c) of the 2007 Act is to be treated as a money award (within the meaning given by section 229(2)(a) of the 2000 Act) for the purposes of section 229(8)(b) and paragraph 16 of Schedule 17 to the 2000 Act; and
b
any other sub-paragraph of section 137(2) of the 2007 Act is to be treated as a direction under section 229(2)(b) of the 2000 Act for the purposes of section 229(9) and (10) of the 2000 Act.