DISP 1.1 Purpose and application

1. (1)

   This chapter applies to a firm in respect of complaints from eligible complainants concerning activities carried on from an establishment maintained by it or its appointed representative in the United Kingdom.

2. (2)

   For complaints relating to the MiFID business of a firm, the complaints handling rules and the complaints record rule:

   1. (a)

      apply to complaints from retail clients and do not apply to complaints from eligible complainants who are not retail clients;

   2. (b)

      also apply in respect of activities carried on from a branch of a UK firm in another EEA State; and

   3. (c)

      do not apply in respect of activities carried on from a branch of an EEA firm in the United Kingdom.

Where a firm has outsourced activities to a third party processor, DISP 1.1.3 R does not apply to the third party processor when acting as such, but applies to the firm which is taking responsibility for the acts and omissions of the third party processor in respect of the outsourced activities.

This chapter does not apply to:

1. (1)

   a UCITS qualifier;

2. (2)

   a credit union; and

3. (3)

   an authorised professional firm in respect of expressions of dissatisfaction about its non-mainstream regulated activities

This chapter applies to the Society, members of the Society and managing agents, subject to the Lloyd's complaint rules.

An insurance intermediary, that is not also an insurer, must have in place and operate appropriate and effective procedures for registering and responding to complaints from a person who is not an eligible complainant.

In relation to a firm's obligations under this chapter, references to a complaint also include an expression of dissatisfaction which is capable of becoming a relevant new complaint or[deleted] a relevant transitional complaint.

Where the subject matter of a complaint is subject to a review directly or indirectly under the terms of the policy statement for the review of specific categories of FSAVC business issued by the FSA on 28 February 2000, the complaints resolution rules, the complaints time limit rules, the complaints record rule and the complaints reporting rules will apply only if the complaint is about the outcome of the review.

1. (1)

   A firm falling within the Compulsory Jurisdiction which does not conduct business with eligible complainants and has no reasonable likelihood of doing so, can, by written notification to the FSA , claim exemption from the rules relating to the funding of the Financial Ombudsman Service, and from the remainder of this chapter.

2. (2)

   Notwithstanding (1), the complaints handling rules and complaints record rule will continue to apply in respect of complaints concerning MiFID business.

3. (3)

   The exemption takes effect from the date on which the written notice is received by the FSA and will cease to apply when the conditions relating to the exemption no longer apply.

This chapter (except the complaints record rule and the complaints reporting rules) applies to licensees for complaints from eligible complainants.

This chapter (except the complaints record rule and the complaints reporting rules) applies to VJ participants for complaints from eligible complainants as part of the standard terms.

In relation to the Consumer Credit Jurisdiction only, FOS Ltd may dispense with, or modify, the application of the rules in this chapter to licensees where it considers it appropriate to do so and is satisfied that:

1. (1)

   compliance by the licensee with the rules would be unduly burdensome or would not achieve the purpose for which the rules were made; and

2. (2)

   it would not result in undue risk to the persons whose interests the rules were intended to protect.