The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015

Expertise, Independence and Impartiality

3.  The body—

(a) ensures that an ADR official possesses a general understanding of the law and the necessary knowledge and skills relating to the out-of-court or judicial resolution of consumer disputes, to be able to carry out his or her functions competently;

(b) appoints each ADR official for a term of office of sufficient duration to ensure the independence of that person’s actions and provides that no ADR official can be relieved of his or her duties without just cause;

(c) ensures that no ADR official discharges his or her duties in a way that is biased as regards a party to a dispute, or the representative of a party;

(d) remunerates an ADR official in a way that is not linked to the outcome of the alternative dispute resolution procedure;

(e) where it appoints more than one ADR official, ensures that an ADR official, without undue delay, discloses to the body a circumstance that may, or may be seen to—

(i) affect the ADR official’s independence or impartiality; or

(ii) give rise to a conflict of interest with a party to the dispute which the ADR official is asked to resolve;

(f) ensures that the obligation to disclose a conflict of interest is a continuing obligation throughout the alternative dispute resolution procedure;

(g) ensures that in circumstances where its ADR officials are employed or remunerated exclusively by a professional organisation or business association, the body has a ring-fenced budget at its disposal which is sufficient to enable it to carry out its functions as an ADR entity;

(h) ensures that where the operating model of its alternative dispute resolution procedure is to have a collegial body of representatives of both professional organisations or business associations, and consumer organisations, its ADR officials comprise an equal number of representatives of consumer interests and trader interests.