How the BBRS operates

Find out more about how we work

What is the BBRS here to do?

The BBRS has been established as a dispute resolution service between eligible SME customers and participating banks, and is free for all eligible SME customers.

Unlike schemes that have been set up by law, known as statutory schemes, the BBRS is a voluntary service. This means that the legal rights and obligations of SME customers, banks and the BBRS in relation to the dispute resolution scheme are not governed by an Act of Parliament but by these contracts:

• the Scheme Rules, which set out the processes by which the BBRS will accept and decide on complaints;
• the Participation Deed, by which participating banks agree to participate in the scheme and comply with the Scheme Rules;
• the Customer Agreement, by which an SME customer agrees to participate in the scheme and comply with the Scheme Rules.

The BBRS expects all those involved to act reasonably and in good faith

The aim of the BBRS is to provide timely, effective and fair resolution to disputes. Our service is designed to be a better alternative to going to court, which can be costly and time-consuming. So that we can achieve our aim, all parties involved in a case need to act in good faith. This means that the BBRS, the bank and the SME customer will at all times act reasonably and deal with one another in an honest and open way, for example by providing the BBRS Case Assessor with all relevant evidence within a reasonable timeframe.