MOTOR CODES, the government-backed consumer watchdog for the automotive industry, has announced that its three codes of practice have passed the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s (CTSI) audit, designed to ensure highest standards for customers.
Meeting the stringent requirements of the CTSI’s Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS), the organisation’s codes of practice for service and repair, vehicle warranty products and new cars have been praised for strengthening consumer protection and handling complaints.
The CCAS was launched in 2001 by the former Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to give the public increased confidence in trade associations and business organisations that operate codes of practice. The latest endorsement follows a comprehensive audit by the CTSI which looked at several systems and processes that Motor Codes has in place, to ensure that motorists are receiving the highest standard of service.
The assessment examined areas such as the compliance of members, the consumer complaints procedure including Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), marketing and advertising by code members, and how the information of vehicle owners is being used to improve the codes and rates of customer satisfaction.
The results of the recent checks revealed that Motor Codes is fulfilling all of its obligations as a ‘code sponsor’, and that its member base meets CCAS’ core criteria. In the report, Motor Codes was recognised for the strengthening of consumer protection within the motoring sector, the result of bringing its government-approved and free ADR service in- house.
Bill Fennell, MD of Motor Codes, said: ‘Ever since the New Car Code first gained OFT approval in 2004, we have been fully committed to making sure that every other code that we have introduced continues to adhere to the rigorous guidelines prescribed by the CCAS. With all three passing the audit with flying colours, this is an encouraging endorsement by the CTSI, that as a self-regulatory body, we are doing everything possible to guarantee that today’s motorists are being treated honestly and fairly.’
Leon Livermore, chief executive of the CTSI, added: ‘Frequent checks are an effective mechanism to assess whether code sponsors and members are continuing to abide by the rules and follow approved practices. This regular assessment is critical, because when consumers see the CTSI Approved Code logo, it means that members of Motor Codes can be trusted and are reputable. Therefore, without this important monitoring, we are at risk of compromising the protection of customers and industry standards.’
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