Complaints Policy

The purpose of this policy is to outline how JDM Plates handles complaints from customers and ensures that customers are treated fairly at all stages of the complaint process. This complaint policy specifically targets the selling of financed products such as the resale of private registration marks but can be adopted for the manufacture and sale of physical number plates.

JDM Plates has a culture where the interests of customers is at the heart of the organisation. Culture will start at the top with the leadership team and feed through to every employee within the business. The company will strive to ensure that delivering good customer outcomes is embedded in every aspect of the business. Systems and controls are in place to ensure that poor customer outcomes are identified and that processes are in place to ensure interventions are put in place to remedy identified risks. 

We understand that from time to time, customers may not be happy with the service or product that has been provided and has developed its Complaints Policy and Procedure which is clear and simple to understand and presents no barriers to customers wishing to complain. 

Regulation

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates how complaints from customers should be handled. The FCA handbook section DISP provides rules and guidance on how firms handle complaints. JDM Plates has developed its complaints policy and procedure around the FCA rules and guidance and in particular the principles of Treating Customers Fairly.

The FCA expects firms to:

• Resolve all complaints received properly and in line with these rules

• Investigate the complaint competently, diligently, and impartially

• Assess what the complaint is about, whether it should be upheld and what action should be taken in a fair, consistent and prompt manner.

• Provide a clear assessment of the complaint and an offer of redress / remedial action (if appropriate) in a fair and prompt manner.

• Ensure any offer of redress or remedial action that is accepted is settled promptly.

• A prompt written acknowledgement should be sent to the customer assuring them that their complaint has been received and is being dealt with.
• Ensure that the customer is kept informed of the measures being undertaken in respect of resolving the complaint.
  

A summary of all complaints received will be submitted annually to the FCA.

Complaints Principles

What is a complaint?

• JDM Plates recognises that a complaint:
  • is an expression of dissatisfaction, from or on behalf of a customer, and requires a response.
  • Relates to a business activity undertaken by the firm
  • Is where a customer considers they have suffered or may suffer financial loss, material distress or significant inconvenience
  • Can be justified or not
• Customer complaints can allege:
  • Negligence, breach of a term of agreement between the firm and the customer or of any statutory requirement relevant to the business provided by JDM Plates.
  • Misrepresentation, bad faith or malpractice
  • Poor service

How can a customer make a complaint?

• JDM Plates will accept a complaint:
  • Orally by telephone by calling 01493 230023
  • In writing; by letter to our address which is JDM Plates, Charles Street, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 3LA
  • By email to our email address by emailing [email protected]

How will complaints be handled?

• All complaints will be investigated fully and fairly within agreed timescales.
• We will not charge customers for making a complaint.
• We will not operate a premium rate telephone number for customers to make a complaint.

What can the customer do if they are not happy with the outcome of their complaint?

• If the customer is not happy with the outcome of their complaint, they have the right to appeal to both JDM Plates and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Contact details for both JDM Plates and FOS will be provided to the customer.

Complaints procedure

Stage 1

In the first instance, staff member(s) at JDM Plates must establish the seriousness of the complaint.  If concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved initially, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed.

Stage 2

If the complaint cannot be resolved at stage 1, the customer should be advised that a formal complaint may be made and the complaints procedure should be explained to them by a senior member of the team.

Initial complaints, must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 3 business days week of receiving it. If a resolution cannot be found then a formal investigation and root cause analysis will be completed. If this is required, the customer who made the complaint will be made fully aware and informed that the investigation may take up to 8 weeks to resolve.

Stage 3

During the investigation, if no resolution has been found, an interim form of communication will be made at week 4 explaining the situation. By the end of 8 weeks and our investigation of the complaint, we must send the customer a written Final Response Letter [DISP 1.6.2R] confirming the decision. The Final Response Letter will confirm that the complaint has been resolved and closed. 

Stage 4

If the customer is not satisfied with the Final Response Letter then they can escalate the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). We will work alongside the customer during this stage.

If your complaint relates to your finance agreement

If your complaint relates to the finance linked to your purchase you must contact your finance provider which can be requested from or or you can find their contact details on the signed agreement between you and the lender.

What can I do if I can’t reach an agreement on my complaint?

If you are not satisfied with the lenders response to your complaint relating to the finance agreement, you may be able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You must contact them within six months of the date of the lenders final response letter to you. They can be contacted in the following ways:

• Written communication: Address can be found on the agreement between you and the lender.
• Telephone: Contact number can be found on the agreement between you and the lender.
• Email: email address can be found on the agreement between you and the lender.

Further details can be found on the Financial Ombudsman Service website:- https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/how-to-complain

If your complaint does not relate to your finance agreement but the complaint was sent to our lender

On occasions, customers complain to lenders if they are not satisfied with JDM Plates’ product/services. If our lender do receive a complaint from one of our customers and our lender feels the complaint would best be dealt with by us, they will forward the complaint to us under DISP 1.7 of the FCA Handbook. When we receive a complaint that has been forwarded under DISP 1.7.1, the complaint is treated for the purposes of DISP as if made directly to JDM Plates, and as if received by it when the forwarded complaint was received. On receiving a forwarded complaint, the standard time limits will apply from the date on which JDM Plates receives the forwarded complaint.