What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a method of resolving a dispute fairly between consumers and businesses without having to go through the legal process, often making it quicker, cheaper and simpler than going to court. ADR is governed in the UK by a set of regulations which came into force on 1 October 2015.
At The Motor Ombudsman, we want to resolve every complaint as quickly and as amicably as possible, so we will always look to see if it’s possible to resolve the issue without the need for the case to be passed on to an adjudicator. This may be through early resolution, for example when the business makes an offer to settle the dispute, or through mediation.
If, however, we can’t resolve a complaint this way, we use the process of adjudication, which is where an impartial adjudicator reaches a decision (i.e. in favour of the consumer or business or even a split outcome in some circumstances), by evaluating the evidence supplied by both parties against the standards set by our Code of Practice and, where relevant, the law.
