Bulletin: Updated Consent Letter and What to Expect document

OBSI is pleased to announce the launch of our newly updated Consent Letter and What to Expect document.
 
Our Consent Letter is the document that consumers sign to allow us to begin investigating their complaint. In this letter, the consumer gives their permission for us to exchange information about them and their complaint with the firm involved and sometimes with another person if they have someone helping them with their complaint.
 
The consent letter ensures that consumers using our service have important information about our process, including what we do, how we handle their information, and things they should know if they are considering taking legal action. We also outline the consumer’s agreement to respect important requirements of our Terms of Reference, including the obligation to keep our correspondence and discussions confidential.
 
The What to Expect document is designed to help consumers understand what we will need from them and what they can expect from us before we start our investigation, during our investigation, and after we have reached a conclusion. It also includes information about what we can and cannot recommend.
 
The updated Consent Letter and What to Expect document are written in a clear and concise plain language style, and are part of our ongoing work to improve our transparency and accessibility for all our stakeholders. Both documents are now in use and available on our website. You can access them here.