The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015

Conflict of interests procedure

4.  The body has in place the following procedure in the event that an ADR official declares or is discovered to have a conflict of interest in relation to a domestic dispute or cross-border dispute—

(a) where possible, the ADR official is replaced by another ADR official to handle the particular dispute;

(b) if the ADR official cannot be replaced by another ADR official—

(i) the ADR official must refrain from conducting the alternative dispute resolution procedure, and

(ii) the body must, where possible, propose to the parties that they submit the dispute to another ADR entity which is competent to deal with it;

(c) if the dispute cannot be transferred to another ADR entity, the body—

(i) must inform the parties to the dispute of the circumstances of the conflict of interest,

(ii) must inform the parties to the dispute that they have the right to object to the conflicted person continuing to handle the dispute, and

(iii) can only continue to deal with the dispute if no party to the dispute objects.