In its recent newsletter the ISO claimed it was aware that other dispute resolution schemes were approaching its members.

“We are aware that some other dispute resolution schemes are marketing direct to our Participants and you might be misinformed about our service,” it says in its recent newsletter.

Coincidentally this comment was made about the same time the Financial Services Complaints (FSCL) scheme had offered a discount to its members.

It said the scheme will reduce its annual fees by 10% for the next financial year. Chief executive Susan Taylor said it was a result of a cash surplus due to membership growth.

"As a not-for-profit it is important that the fees we charge reflect our costs and that we are not making our participants pay more than they need to for our services."

It said the offer was not about poaching members. Rather the offer was being made as the scheme had been running well.

Now the renewal process is underway ISO says it is was looking “to provide its members with some encouragement and additional assistance with complaints handling.”

“In acknowledgement of all the work our participants have put into their internal complaint processes over the last few years, we have decided to waive the first complaint fee applicable for the next financial year,” ISO’s Karen Stevens says.

“We are aware that many of our Participants have few or no complaints made about them but that they are still required to have a complaints process in place.

“Sometimes, complaints are unavoidable but our experience has been that most complaints are being resolved at the first instance without the need for our involvement. This early resolution of complaints clearly benefits consumers.”