Complaints Procedure

Complaints Manager contact details

Definition of a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction from, or on behalf of, a customer, whether oral or written and whether justified or not, which alleges that the customer has suffered, or may suffer, financial loss, material distress or material inconvenience.

Our Procedures

Any complaints submitted, either verbally or in writing, to Planet Leasing Ltd (hereafter referred to as 'the company') will be referred to our complaints manager at the earliest opportunity or to a member of senior management if the complaints manager is unavailable.

The company will also:

• Promptly acknowledge the complaint in writing;
• Give the details of the Financial Ombudsman Service in our letter of acknowledgement;
• Make contact to seek clarification on any points where necessary;
• Fully investigate the complaint;
• Keep the complainant informed of the progress of the investigation; and
• Discuss with the complainant the investigation findings and the proposed response to those findings.

The complainant will receive contact from Planet Leasing Ltd should the company be unable to respond immediately.

The company will let the complainant have the final response as soon as possible but no later than eight weeks from the date of initial complaint.

Adviser or Provider

Clients often express dissatisfaction to their adviser about the product provider. The company will need to establish whether the complaint relates to the advice given, the adviser service, or the service or performance of the product provider. If unclear, this must not delay the investigation, and the company will therefore proceed with its own investigation. The complaints manager will review this matter and take the complaint to the provider and, where appropriate, do so in consultation with the complainant.

Investigation

The complaints manager will establish the nature and scope of the complaint having due regard to the Financial Conduct Authority’s direction:

• Deal with complaints promptly and fairly;
• Give complainants clear replies and, where appropriate, fair redress.

Vulnerable Customers

We recognise that some complainants may be in vulnerable circumstances. We will take reasonable steps to identify vulnerability at any stage of the complaints process and will adapt our communication and handling of the complaint to meet the individual's needs.

Eligible Complainants

It is the company’s policy to treat all complainants the same. However, eligible complainants are legally defined and have additional rights in law that the company must acknowledge and must adhere to.

The Financial Conduct Authority complaints rules apply to complaints:

• Made by, or on behalf of an eligible complainant;
• Relating to regulated activity;
• Involving an allegation that the complainant has suffered, or may suffer, financial loss, material distress or material inconvenience.

Final response

This will set out clearly the company’s decision and the reasons for it. If any compensation is offered, a clear method of calculation will be shown.

The company must include details of the Financial Ombudsman Service in the final response and, if dealing with an eligible complainant and a regulated activity, will:

• Explain that the complainant must refer the matter to the ombudsman within six months of the date of this letter or the right to use this service is lost
• Indicate whether we consent to waive the relevant time limits.

Complaints Settled within 3 business days

Complaints that can be settled to the complainant's satisfaction within 3 business days can be recorded and communicated differently.

Where we consider a complaint to be resolved to the complainant's satisfaction under this section, we will promptly send the complainant a ‘Summary Resolution Communication’, being written communication from the company which:

• Refers to the fact that the complainant has made a complaint and informs the complainant that the company now considers the complaint to have been resolved satisfactorily;
• Will inform the complainant that if he/she subsequently decides that he/she is dissatisfied with the resolution of the complaint he/she may be able to refer the complaint back to the company for further consideration or alternatively refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service;
• Indicates whether or not the company consents to waive the relevant time limits (where we have discretion in such matters);
• Provides the website address of the Financial Ombudsman Service; and
• Refers to the availability of further information on the website of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

In addition to sending the complainant a 'Summary Resolution Communication', the company may also use other methods to communicate information where:

• The company considers that doing so may better meet your needs, or where;
• The company has already been using a different method to communicate about the complaint.

Closing a complaint

The company will consider a complaint closed when the company has made its final response to the complainant.

This does not prevent the complainant from exercising any rights they may have to refer the matter to either the BVRLA Conciliation Service or the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Record Keeping

We will retain a record of each complaint, and any documents relating to it, for a minimum of five years from the date the complaint was received.

BVRLA Conciliation Service:

The BVRLA Conciliation Service is a government-approved Consumer ADR body under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015. This Dispute Resolution Service attempts to mediate a bilateral compromise between the parties to avoid the need to submit the complaint for arbitration by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Contact:

Financial Ombudsman Service

The company will co-operate fully with the Financial Ombudsman Service in resolving eligible complaints. Where a complainant accepts the Ombudsman’s final decision within the applicable time limit, the company will comply promptly with any award or direction made in that decision. The company will also pay any applicable case fees or other charges properly levied by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Contact