What’s changing with our Complaint Handling Procedures

The updated CHPs aim to strengthen existing procedures, address pain points and provide all parties who engage with the TIO clear pathways to timely and fair resolution. These changes are a key component of the TIO’s Fairness Commitment.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s changing and why these updates are important.

1. Referral Response Trial

   A voluntary six-month trial that asks telcos to provide responses to the TIO about the referrals we send in the first stage of our complaints process.  

2. Introduction of Issues Notice

   If a consumer contacts us and their complaint is still unresolved after the first stage of our complaints process, we will send an Issues Notice to both the consumer and the provider. This facilitates both parties having a clear understanding of the outstanding issues, paving the way for quicker resolutions.

3. Referral Bypass for Extra Support Cases

   Where the standard referral process could exacerbate acute vulnerabilities or risk of harm for certain complaints or consumers, the complaint may skip the referral stage of our process and may proceed to investigation. This facilitates swift intervention to prevent further harm.

4. Closing Complaints After Fair Offer Assessment

   The TIO will provide both parties with a Fair Offer Assessment if we choose to exercise our discretion to stop handling a complaint following a fair and reasonable offer from a telco. Both parties will have time to respond to this assessment before we close the complaint, providing for transparency and fairness.

5. Expanded Urgent Complaint Classification

   Urgent complaints have always been a priority, but the criteria used to classify them has been broadened.  

6. Appeal Process for Closed Complaints

   This policy sets out how the TIO applies discretion to review a Jurisdictional or Fair Offer assessment that leads to us closing a complaint. Consumers will generally need to ask for a review within 10 business days of the original outcome and clearly outline reasoning with supporting information.  

7. Name Changes for Complaint Outcomes

   The terminology used in complaint outcomes has been refined for clarity:
   "Fair and Reasonable Assessments" replaces "Recommended Outcomes" 

8. Elimination of Preliminary Views

   Currently a consumer’s complaint journey stops at Preliminary View, whereas telcos have an additional step (Decision) afforded to them. The TIO will be eliminating Preliminary Views from the TIO process to address this imbalance.