After a broadcaster receives your formal complaint, they have 20 working days to send you a decision. They need to:
- give you a written response
- tell you whether or not your complaint has been upheld; and
- advise you of your right to refer your complaint to the BSA if you are not satisfied with the decision.
You then have 20 working days from receiving that response to refer the decision to the BSA.
You would refer a decision if you were unhappy with the broadcaster's response or, if the broadcaster had upheld part or all of your complaint, you were unhappy with the action they took after upholding it.
If you have not heard from the broadcaster within 20 working days you may immediately refer your complaint to the BSA.
Note that in certain cases broadcasters may ask for an additional 20 working days, especially if your complaint is a complex one. They are allowed to do this so long as they inform you they're exercising this right within the original 20 working day period.
Also note that the 'working days' time period is suspended between December 25 and January 15. This means that the working day period effectively pauses during that time.
