If you and the firm cannot reach an agreement about resolving a dispute, either party can decide to refer the matter to the independent adjudicators for adjudication. Access to an independent adjudicator is free. There is no charge to either party and the CDRS can be a much simpler and quicker process than taking the dispute to court.  

The QFC Regulatory Authority has appointed Professor Robin Callender Smith as the independent adjudicator of the CDRS. Professor Callender Smith is a UK-qualified judge with extensive experience of consumer protection issues.

Details of the independent adjudicator can be found here.

What does the independent adjudicator do?

The role of the independent adjudicator is to review complaints referred to him under the CDRS and to determine the outcome.  

To make that determination, he will be provided with all the documents that are relevant to the complaint. 

The review process enables the independent adjudicator to ask you and the firm for more information or documentation, and to ask further questions of both parties before making his determination.  

You should be aware that the independent adjudicator can only make his determination based on the information provided to him. Therefore, it is important that you give him all the information which is relevant to your complaint.  

All communications with an independent adjudicator are through the administration function of the QFC Regulatory Authority.

The independent adjudicator aims to provide his decision within approximately 30 days of receiving the papers. His decision is communicated simultaneously to both parties and is final and binding on them both, if the decision is accepted by the customer within 14 days.  If the customer does not make a decision within 14 days, then it is assumed that they have rejected the decision. A decision which has been rejected has no effect.