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Guidance Videos

Video guides on how to effectively use the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) dispute resolution scheme.

Featured video

CISAS Adjudicator’s Final Written Decision

This video outlines what happens when you receive a final written decision from an adjudicator under the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).

1:33 minutes

CISAS Adjudicator’s Final Written Decision

This video outlines what happens when you receive a final written decision from an adjudicator under the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).

1:33 minutes

Most watched

How to Make a Complaint to your Service Provider

3:19 minutes

How to Make a Complaint to your Service Provider

There are three steps you need to take in order to make a complaint to your service provider:

1. Use the company's formal complaints procedure
2. Be clear, refer to events in a logical order and ask clearly for what you want
3. Be considerate, patient and prepared to compromise

3:19 minutes

How to Make a Complaint to your Service Provider

3:19 minutes

How to Make a Complaint to your Service Provider

There are three steps you need to take in order to make a complaint to your service provider:

1. Use the company's formal complaints procedure
2. Be clear, refer to events in a logical order and ask clearly for what you want
3. Be considerate, patient and prepared to compromise

3:19 minutes

How to Make an Effective Complaint to CEDR about your Service Provider

3:56 minutes

How to Make an Effective Complaint to CEDR about your Service Provider

Here are three things you should do to make an effective complaint to CEDR about a company you are in dispute with:

1. Set out your complaint clearly, including a timeline of what’s happened so far.
2. Provide any evidence that you want to rely on, or think is important It is for you to provide the evidence for your case and show that the company has done something wrong.
3. Detail exactly what you would like the company to do to make things better

3:56 minutes

What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?

1:03 minutes

What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?

CEDR provides independent Alternative Dispute Resolution for consumers when they experience problems with companies. (ADR) covers a whole range of dispute resolution processes - while mediation is the process used most frequently through CEDR for the resolution of commercial and civil disputes, other processes are available.

1:03 minutes

What Disputes Can CISAS Adjudicate?

1:09 minutes

What Disputes Can CISAS Adjudicate?

This video outlines what disputes the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) can adjudicate. CISAS can adjudicate on disputes that relate to:

Complaints about the services provided to you by the business;
The quality of customer service the business has provided;
The charges you pay to the business for the services; and
Issues related to the contract you have with that business.

CISAS cannot deal with disputes relating to:

Complaints about a business that do not subscribe to CISAS;
Any complaint that has not first been raised with the business;
Any issue that was raised and addressed by the business more than 12 months ago;
Any compliant that is currently being investigated by the business unless 8 weeks has elapsed or the business has advised you to contact CISAS;
Any dispute we consider to be frivolous or vexatious; and o Any dispute that should or has already been considered by a court, the regulator or another independent body

1:09 minutes

CISAS – Automatic Compensation Scheme

3:45 minutes

CISAS – Automatic Compensation Scheme

3:45 minutes

Case Management System User – Guide For Consumers

3:16 minutes

Case Management System User – Guide For Consumers

3:16 minutes

How does the adjudicator decide the outcome of a case?

3:00 minutes

How does the adjudicator decide the outcome of a case?

How does the adjudicator make a decision?

The adjudicator will consider all the arguments and evidence provided by both parties. They will also look at any relevant laws, regulations, codes and industry guidance.
The evidence needs to show that the company is at fault and that something should be done. For the customer to win the case, the evidence has to show that the company has done something wrong and that the customer deserves something to make things better (a ‘remedy’).
The adjudicator will decide who is right using the ‘balance of probabilities’ test. This is the normal test applied in civil (non-criminal) courts. It means they will decide if the evidence shows that it is “more likely than not” the company have made a mistake that they need to put right.

Remember:

The adjudicator can only look at what they have been given by the parties. They can’t do a full investigation into exactly what happened. Adjudication is a paper-based process, so the parties should provide everything they want the adjudicator to see. Everything that is important for the adjudicator to see should be provided to CEDR.
Adjudicators can ask for more evidence, but this is rare. They will only ask for something when it is absolutely needed to make sense of the dispute. You should not expect an adjudicator to ask for more evidence. You should provide to CEDR everything you want the adjudicator to see.

How does an adjudicator decide what to give a customer?

If the evidence shows that the company has done something wrong, the evidence must also show that the customer deserves a remedy. The customer will need to show that they are in a worse position because of what the company did (i.e. show they have suffered ‘loss or detriment’).
If the adjudicator agrees that the customer deserves a remedy, they will direct the company to take action. They will try to fix any mistake that the company has made. They will be led by what a customer has asked for and what is possible.
In most cases, the adjudicator can also give money for the customer’s ‘distress and inconvenience’. This recognises the effect of the company’s actions on the customer. This is usually no more than £200. A customer can claim for this additional award.
The adjudicator will decide what to give a customer on a case-by-case basis. They will consider what the customer has asked for and what the customer is entitled to. They will also think about what would fix the problem. They will always try to give a fair remedy to a customer based on what has happened.

Remember:

The adjudicator must follow the Service Rules and so their powers are limited. This means that there will be some things they cannot give. For example, for someone to be fired or for a company to be fined. Parties should always read the Service Rules to see what can and cannot be given.
The customer must ask for what they want. The adjudicator will be led by what the customer has asked for. You should not expect the adjudicator to give things not asked for.
Sometimes a right to a fixed remedy exists. This means that a law or a voluntary industry code sets out a specific remedy where something goes wrong. The adjudicator will often have to give the fixed remedy to a customer if they qualify for it.

3:00 minutes

Company has made a partial settlement offer

1:35 minutes

Company has made a partial settlement offer

At this stage of the CISAS process, the company you are in dispute with has made a partial settlement offer. Therefore, you are now required to review this offer and either accept or reject it. If you accept this settlement offer, please note that you cannot attach any conditions and you acknowledge that it is in full and final settlement of all issues raised in your application. Alternatively, if you choose to reject the settlement offer, it will be for the company to either:

offer you a new settlement
object to the eligibility of the case
request a Remedy Review,
or provide a full defence response to your claim.

Please note that you will not be able to accept this settlement offer at a later stage and, if the matter is assigned to an adjudicator, the adjudicator may award you more or less than what the company has previously offered. It is also worth mentioning, that if the company has offered you a monetary settlement, this may be applied as a credit to your active account. CISAS is not able to get involved in this early resolution process and if you have questions on this partial settlement offer, you will need to raise these via the discussion board on the Messages tab of the system. The company can then decide if they wish to respond or not, but please make sure you put any questions to the company before the deadline date. © 2025 CEDR Limited - All rights reserved

1:35 minutes

Evidence Required

1:49 minutes

Evidence Required

At this stage of the process, you have either elected to provide CEDR with further information or CEDR has initially reviewed your case and we are requesting some further information from you.
When it comes to information or evidence, you may wish to provide things like the date or dates that you first became aware of the issue or issues, confirmation of the date that you raised the issue with the company, any copies of correspondence between yourself and the company, this can include emails, letters, webchat and SMS, any details of telephone calls you had with the company (noting this can include, the names, dates and time of the people spoken to) and any other relevant information that will assist in supporting the complaint. When uploading additional evidence, you can select Respond and follow the prompts to upload information. If you wish to provide even more information after you have finished that step, then please go to the Messages section on the portal and click on the paper clip icon in the bottom left hand side to upload file.
Please note that each party needs to provide information to support their claim. As CISAS is independent and impartial, we are not able to obtain any evidence or supporting information on your behalf. Therefore, you will have to provide the evidence and information you want the adjudicator to consider as part of your complaint.
Additionally, the permitted file types include docx, doc, pdf, png, jpg, jpeg, .msg with a file limit of 40 megabytes. Our portal will not be able to read any other file types, so please be aware of this when adding your information.

1:49 minutes

What is Adjudication?

1:43 minutes

What is Adjudication?

Adjudication is a process where an independent person, called an adjudicator, looks at the arguments in a dispute and decides who is right
Adjudication is usually a paper-based process, with no need for in-person meetings or hearings like in court. Documents and evidence are provided by the people involved in the dispute. The adjudicator then makes a decision after reading through everything provided.
One common use for adjudication is when a company has a dispute with one of their customers. The adjudicator’s decision has to be followed by the company if the customer agrees with it. If the customer does not agree with the decision, then it has no effect and the dispute can still be taken to court if the customer wants to do that.
Adjudication is therefore a simple, inexpensive and quick way of resolving disputes that gives the customer a choice of accepting or rejecting the outcome. It is often used instead of going to court.
CEDR has several adjudication services for different industries and acts as the independent and neutral body to help resolve these matters. It runs the adjudication process and provides the qualified adjudicators who decide the outcomes.
Each adjudication service has its own set of rules, and these set out how the service works. For example, the things CEDR can and cannot look at and the timings involved.
CEDR's adjudication services are usually free of charge to customers. This is because the companies often pay CEDR's fees in full. Customers may have to pay for some adjudication services, but the fees are minimal. The rules of each service will state if there are any costs to customers and what these are.

Get in touch with us today: Email: applications@cedr.com Online: www.cedr-assist.com

1:43 minutes

CISAS Adjudicator’s Final Written Decision

1:33 minutes

CISAS Adjudicator’s Final Written Decision

This video outlines what happens when you receive a final written decision from an adjudicator under the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).

1:33 minutes

Complying with a CISAS Decision

0:41 minutes

Complying with a CISAS Decision

This video outlines in short what happens when you receive a decision from the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) on your case.

0:41 minutes

Who are CISAS?

1:37 minutes

Who are CISAS?

CISAS (Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) is an Ofcom approved alternative dispute resolution provider. CISAS is designed to adjudicate disputes that have not been resolved through the communication provider’s own internal complaints procedure. The service is free, independent and impartial.

1:37 minutes