Telecoms customers (residential and small business consumers) will be able to escalate their unresolved complaints to an independent dispute resolution scheme sooner, under strengthened Ofcom rules.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes are independent bodies that carry out impartial assessments of unresolved complaints between a customer and their communications provider. This process is designed to help ensure fair and effective complaints handling, and empowers consumers in their relationship with their provider.
In November 2023, we launched a review of how effectively the current ADR system is working, including carrying out research among consumers to understand their experiences. And following consultation, we have now decided to strengthen our rules.
Quicker resolution for consumers
Our rules require communication providers to issue ADR letters, informing consumers of their right to access ADR, if a complaint has not been resolved eight weeks after it was first raised. Our review has looked at whether this length of time remains right in today’s market.
Between January 2022 and 2024, a significant majority (79%) of complaints received by the biggest telecoms companies were resolved in less than a week, with 94% resolved within six weeks.
For the roughly 700,000 consumers that had a complaint open at 6 weeks, only around one in five (about 19%) were able to get their issue resolved or referred to ADR ahead of the current, eight week threshold. We were concerned that a material number of consumers waited an additional two weeks, continuing to potentially incur harm or detriment, before being given access to ADR to get a resolution.
Following consultation, we are now reducing the timeframe before consumers can access ADR from eight weeks to six. This will ensure the ADR system remains effective, and help consumers get their complaints resolved quickly.
This change will come into effect from 8 April 2026.
Re-approval of Communication Ombudsman and CISAS
Ofcom is also re-approving both Communications Ombudsman (formally known as Ombudsman Services) and the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) as ADR schemes for the telecoms sector. Our review found they are working well and continue to meet the statutory assessment criteria under the Communications Act.