Complaints Procedure

Appeals to ODL QC

All providers accredited by ODL QC offer a good quality service.    Their procedures have been assessed to ensure that they meet the Council’s published Standards for Open and Distance Learning.

Difficulties between the learner and an accredited provider are rare.    If they do occur, they can normally be resolved through discussion between learner and provider, using the provider’s own complaints procedure.

If this fails, appeal can be made to the Council.    Appeals can be made initially by telephone or email, when an informal discussion can take place.    Formal consideration of any appeal will only occur once the appeal is made in writing.

Your letter of Complaint

We will require a letter/email summarising the complaint. Please:

• be as clear and concise as you can to what has gone wrong.    Try to keep summaries to 1 side of A4;
  
  
• focus on the key area(s) where you believe the service has been at fault;
  
  
• put together adequate evidence to back up your claim such as relevant emails or letters;
  
  
• highlight where the provider has breached their Terms & Conditions of enrolment;
  
  
• if possible please indicate any ODL QC Standards which you believe have been breached, and supply supporting evidence;
  
  
• be clear about the outcome you seek (change of tutor, postponement, refund or whatever).

Guidance on ODL QC Standards

ODL QC standards cover:

• Outcomes
  The methods, materials and support offered by the course are sufficient to achieve the intended outcome....
  
  
• Resources
  The course materials are appropriate to the needs of the learner and structured to facilitate individual study.....
  
  
• Support
  Support offered is sufficient to suit the reasonable needs of the learner.....
  
  
• Selling
  The prospective learner is made properly aware of all the terms and conditions relevant to that course, either in the prospectus or similar material.....
  
  
• Providers
  The provider adheres to all the ODL QC Standards and complies with all reasonable requests made by the Council.....
  
  
• Collaborative
  Providers should not promote courses as their own if they are not....

Informal advice on the interpretation of the standards is available on request by telephone or email.

Complaints Procedure

1. Written complaints are considered in the office.    If we judge that there is substance to the complaint, a copy is forwarded to the provider for comment.

2. The Chief Executive makes an initial ruling on what action, if any, ODL QC can take.    A response outlining the review of the complaint together with, in most cases, the provider's reply will then be sent to the learner.

3. Appeal to the ODL QC Council (or a sub-committee of Council set up for this purpose)if either the complainant or the provider wish to challenge the outcome of Stage 2.    Any ruling by the Council is final.

The Chief Executive may also submit complaints to Council at Stage 2 if (s)he feels it is appropriate or requires guidance on the interpretation of the Standards.    Any such referral will not prejudice the ability to make a subsequent appeal at Stage 3,   or its outcome.

Interpretation of ODL QC standards

Complaints can be made on any matter related to the service offered by a provider, set against the ODL QC Standards and/or the providers Terms & Conditions.    All will be considered at Stage 1.

Rulings requesting actions by providers will only be made at Stage 2 if, in the view of the Chief Executive, a breach in the Standards has occurred.

Appeals to the Council (Stage 3) can only be made on matters concerning the interpretation of the Standards.    Appeals must be fully documented.    Council cannot rule on matters where the facts (for example who said what and when) are disputed and cannot be resolved through documentary evidence.

What can ODL QC do?

Rulings will be proportionate to the seriousness or otherwise of the breach which has occurred.    Should a provider refuse to accept the ruling of Council, accreditation may be withdrawn, although most issues are resolved before that.

If the complaint centres around verbal mis-communication it would be extremely unlikely that a ruling could be made if documentary evidence does not substantiate the claims.

Regardless of the resolution of individual cases,   complaints can also lead to a separate dialogue between a provider and the ODL QC, to address matters that Council identifies as significant.

Fee

For appeals to the Council Sub-Committee (Stage 3) a deposit of £50 is required.

The Chief Executive may waive the deposit at his or her discretion.    The deposit is refundable at the discretion of Council or its officers.    It will normally be withheld only if the appeal is judged to have been unjustified.

Litigation

Accreditation by the Council is not a legal requirement;   its rulings are not enforceable in law, and the Council cannot advise complainants if they seek remedy through litigation.

Decisions by the Council or its officers have no bearing on either party's rights to take legal action.