Directors UK Limited operates separate disputes and complaints procedures.
If a member believes they have been incorrectly denied acknowledgement as the principal director of a work, then they can follow the disputes procedure outlined below.
Alternatively, if you are not satisfied with the service you have received from Directors UK, you can make a formal complaint. See below for full details.
Disputes between members
In the case of any dispute between yourself and any other member of Directors UK, we will endeavour to maintain an impartial position and provide assistance if necessary for the satisfactory settlement of the dispute.
In cases where two or more directors are listed as having directed a work, payment due for that work is divided equally between the directors concerned unless an individual director is able to supply written documentation confirming that they were engaged as the principal director. Identification of a principal director is provided in our rules of distribution.
Where no director is listed in information supplied by producers and where Directors UK is unsuccessful in identifying the director, no payment will be due for the work unless a member is able to supply written documentation confirming that they were engaged as principal director of the work.
During a dispute Directors UK shall be entitled to suspend any payment of any fees due to yourself or the Member and no payments will be issued until the directors concerned have resolved the dispute and advised Directors UK in writing how payments should be divided.
Any matter raised by a member of Directors UK concerning the Distribution Scheme will be referred by the Board of Directors UK to the Distribution Committee for comment and recommendation. If the matter cannot be resolved with the member concerned it will be referred to the Appeals Board. Any decision reached by the Appeals Board will be final.
In the case of a dispute existing between two members of Directors UK they will, in the first instance, be advised to attempt to resolve the matter amicably themselves. The matter will only be referred to the Distribution Committee when it can be shown that this attempt at reconciliation has taken place and failed.
Credit Dispute Steps
Initial Raising of a Credit Dispute
Where possible, we recommend that directors resolve disputes via a mutual co-directing agreement, however if this is not possible then the following action will take place:
- When raising a credit query you will be asked to fill out a Credit Query form which describes your role in detail and that of any other co-directors. You will have one month to complete and return the form after raising a query.
To be eligible for raising any form of credit query you must have an off-air director credit or director contract which features on our Credit Guide. In the absence of either of these then you must provide a valid reason why neither is available.
In cases where we are not able to progress a dispute, we will inform the parties how we have arrived at that decision and, if possible, provide alternative avenues for them to follow to resolve their query.
Preliminary Assessment
- Once a Credit Query form has been submitted we will make a preliminary assessment to determine whether there is a genuine claim. At this point, if the claim is valid, all future payments to the directors concerned will be put on hold.
- We will reply to you within two weeks of receiving a credit dispute form and will ask you if it is possible to set up a co-directing agreement between the directors concerned. You will have three weeks to return a signed co-directing agreement.
- If it is not possible to obtain a co-directing agreement Directors UK will do one of the following:
- Contact the directors concerned, informing them that a director has raised a dispute and is proposing a credit split.
- Contact the directors concerned, informing them that a director has raised a dispute and ask them to also complete a credit query form so that we can collect all relevant information from them.
- The directors concerned will have one month to respond.
Review by Distribution Committee
- If no agreement can be made, then the directors will be asked to supply the following information which will be put to the Distribution Committee for review:
- Copies of contracts.
- Any additional information that is relevant to the director’s case that isn’t already in their credit query forms.
- Statements from third parties regarding the relevant work. This must be someone who was involved in most of or all three stages of the production such as executive producer, producer, production manager etc.
Both directors will be given the opportunity to read the other director’s credit query form and submit a response.
Directors will have three weeks to provide the statements and any supporting evidence.
Decision & Appeals
- The information collected will be reviewed by the Distribution Committee who will evaluate the eligibility of the claim. Within two weeks of this you will be informed of the decision and the reasons behind it.
- Directors can ask to appeal this decision but must inform Directors UK within two weeks of receiving the verdict. If a director wishes to submit an appeal then they must write to us detailing why they feel the Distribution Committee’s decision is incorrect and provide new evidence to support their claim of principal director.
- This request for appeal and new evidence will be reviewed by the Chair of the Board to determine whether the request for appeal is valid.
- If the request for appeal is accepted then the dispute will be referred to the Appeals Group made up of five members of the Board. This group will include Board Members who have worked in the same genre as the affected work(s). Any decision made by the Appeals Group will be final.
Complaints
Directors UK Limited operates a complaints procedure and if we are unable to resolve a complaint to your satisfaction, the procedure also provides for an independent review of your complaint.
If you are not satisfied with the service you have received from us, we want to hear from you. Please follow the complaints procedure set out below.
Membership Complaints Procedure
Internal Procedure – escalation process
We aim to rectify errors and resolve confusion as soon as possible. If you think there has been an error or we have dealt with things incorrectly please contact us by post or email. Address your communication to [email protected] or write to the Complaints Officer at Directors UK Limited, 4th Floor, 22 Stukeley Street, London, WC2B 5LR.
We take all complaints very seriously; if you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from us, or with the response we give to any enquiry from you, you should follow our complaints procedure. The procedure should be used if you believe that Directors UK:
- has not complied with its stated service standards
- has not applied any of its stated policies
- has not applied a provision of the Code of Practice and/or our Complaints Procedure
- has not followed due process in setting a policy and this has adversely affected the administration of your rights
- has not complied with a provision of your membership agreement
We will acknowledge your complaint on receipt. We will investigate and send you a full written response within ten working days of receiving your complaint.
Step 2
If you remain dissatisfied with our response to your complaint, you should write to the Chief Executive at the same address stating your reasons. The Chief Executive will write to you within ten working days of receiving your reasons, and will:
- Confirm or vary the earlier decision
- Advise you of any further actions being taken regarding your complaint and the associated timescales
Step 3
In the event that you are still dissatisfied with our response to your complaint, you can refer the matter to either our Distribution Committee - in the event that a complaint is regarding our distribution scheme - or to our Board of Directors for any other matter. They will investigate the matter further, and respond to you within thirty working days of receiving your complaint. Contact details are as follows:
Please email [email protected] or write to the Complaints Officer at Directors UK Limited, 4th Floor, 22 Stukeley Street, London, WC2B 5LR.
Complaints and Appeals relating to the Directors UK Policy for Unacceptable Behaviour
Directors UK Limited operates a formal complaints and appeals procedure to deal with complaints by members in relation to breaches of the Bullying and Harassment Code of Conduct, breaches of the Directors UK Members Policy for Unacceptable Behaviour, breaches of the Directors UK Code of Conduct by a member of Directors UK or if a member’s conduct brings the standing of Directors UK into disrepute. The procedure also provides for an independent review of your complaint.
Independent Complaints Review service
Directors UK belongs to the Ombudsmen Services scheme for Copyright Licensing which is a free independent dispute resolution service. This service covers complaints about the service Directors UK has provided, for example, customer service, quality or accuracy of the information provided to you or an incorrect charge or other error in dealing with your Directors UK membership.
For more information visit www.ombudsman-services.org
This service does not cover complaints relating to Directors UK’s constitution, rules or policies, or its membership terms. The service is also unable to deal with complaints regarding legal issues or commercial disputes.