The scheme offers a conciliation service that can be used in the unlikely event of complaints not being sorted out amicably between the two sides. This service aims to reach a non-legal solution to the dispute in a reasonable timescale. It is also available to trading standards departments, consumer advice centres, citizens' advice bureau and similar organisations to help them sort out any complaints involving a member. There is no extra charge for using this service. Members will always agree to use it if a consumer wants to do so. The conciliation process will work as follows:

1. anyone wanting to use the service will enter the details of the matter on the conciliation form (they should then send the form to the scheme administrator;
2. members should arrange for someone to help vulnerable consumers to fill in the form);
3. within seven working days the scheme administrator will inform the other people identified in the form as being involved in the dispute;
4. those people will send any relevant information to the scheme administrator as soon as possible, but in any event within 10 working days;
5. the scheme administrator will appoint a suitably-qualified independent expert (or experts) to consider the matter (this person may or may not be linked to the panel);
6. the independent expert will review the written evidence in the light of the consumer protection legislation in force, and may discuss the details and possible solutions with the people involved;
7. if convenient for both parties, a face-to-face or 'proximity' mediation process will be arranged;
8. after considering all the evidence, either written or from the mediation session, the expert will recommend what he or she believes to be a fair and workable resolution of the complaint;
9. both sides will do their best to comply with the conciliator's recommendations which will be put into practice and the complaint closed without recourse to any further action;
10. if the conciliator's advice is not acceptable to either side, they must explain why to the scheme administrator.