Appeals Policy and Procedure

Version 1.0 · Effective 31 July 2026 · The current online version controls.

1. Purpose

This policy provides a fair and structured way for an applicant or profile holder to challenge an eligible Reedleys assessment, rating or recognition decision.

An appeal challenges a decision. A complaint concerns service, conduct, delay, privacy, misuse or another operational issue. Complaints are handled under the Complaints Policy.

2. Who may appeal

An appeal may be submitted by:

• an individual professional affected by the decision;
• an owner, officer or authorized representative of an affected organization;
• a properly appointed adviser acting with the applicant's written authority.

A third party who is not authorized by the applicant cannot appeal the applicant's rating. A third party may submit a complaint or evidence under the Complaints Policy.

3. Decisions that may be appealed

Eligible decisions include:

• refusal to grant Recognized status;
• the rating assigned following a completed assessment;
• a material rating reduction following reassessment;
• suspension or withdrawal of recognition;
• refusal to accept material evidence where that refusal affected the decision;
• a finding of material misrepresentation or evidence integrity concern.

Routine profile edits, advertising placement, search position, review moderation and commercial plan features are not assessment appeals unless they directly changed the recognition decision.

4. Valid grounds

An appeal should identify at least one of the following grounds:

• a relevant procedural step was not followed;
• material evidence submitted on time was overlooked or misunderstood;
• the decision contains a material factual error;
• the published standard was applied inconsistently or unreasonably;
• an undisclosed conflict of interest may have affected the decision;
• the decision was outside the reasonable outcomes available on the evidence.

Mere dissatisfaction, commercial impact, a desire for a higher rating, or repetition of information already fully considered is not sufficient by itself.

5. Time limit

An appeal should be submitted within 30 calendar days after the applicant is notified of the decision. Reedleys may accept a late appeal where there is a reasonable explanation and the delay does not materially prejudice a fair review.

6. How to submit an appeal

The appellant should use the appeal contact form published on the Reedleys website and provide:

• the profile or application reference;
• the decision being appealed;
• the specific ground or grounds;
• a concise explanation of the alleged error;
• the outcome requested;
• supporting documents or links;
• confirmation of authority to act, where applicable.

Sensitive or confidential information should be limited to what is necessary and redacted where possible.

7. Initial screening

Reedleys will normally acknowledge an appeal within 5 business days. Reedleys may ask for clarification or reject an appeal at screening where it is clearly outside scope, materially incomplete, abusive, fraudulent, duplicated without new grounds, or submitted by an unauthorized person.

A screening rejection will include a brief reason.

8. Review process

Where reasonably practicable, the appeal is reviewed by a person who did not make the original final decision. The reviewer may:

• examine the application, evidence, decision record and applicable standard;
• request comments from the original assessor without being bound by them;
• obtain a second technical or subject-matter review;
• ask the appellant for limited additional clarification;
• correct an administrative or factual error immediately.

An appeal is primarily a review of the original decision. Substantial new evidence may be treated as a reassessment request where that is the fairer and more accurate route. How assessments are made is set out in the Assessment and Recognition Decision-Making Policy.

9. Target timescale

Reedleys aims to issue an appeal outcome within 20 business days after receiving a complete appeal. Complex cases may require additional time. If an extension is needed, Reedleys will explain the reason and provide an updated target date.

10. Possible outcomes

The reviewer may:

• uphold the original decision;
• vary the rating or status;
• return the case for partial or full reassessment;
• accept or reject specific evidence and recalculate the outcome;
• remove or amend a finding of misrepresentation;
• require corrective action before recognition is restored;
• close the appeal where the issue has been resolved by correction.

The outcome will include a concise explanation of the principal reasons.

11. Effect of an appeal

An appeal does not automatically pause suspension, withdrawal, expiry or publication. Reedleys may apply an interim status, delay publication or temporarily restrict badge use where necessary to avoid unfairness or protect users. Related status rules are in the Recognition Status, Monitoring, Suspension and Withdrawal Policy.

12. Final internal decision

The appeal outcome is Reedleys' final internal assessment decision for the same evidence and period. Reedleys may decline repeated appeals that raise no materially new ground. This does not prevent a later reassessment based on new evidence or changed circumstances.

13. Fair treatment and confidentiality

Reedleys will not disadvantage an applicant merely for making a good-faith appeal. Appeal information is shared only with people who need it for review, legal compliance, security or quality control.

Reedleys may withhold information where disclosure would reveal another person's personal data, confidential sources, fraud-prevention controls, privileged advice or information that cannot lawfully be disclosed.

14. Fees

Reedleys does not normally charge a separate fee for a first good-faith appeal. A new assessment, expanded scope or reassessment based mainly on new evidence may be subject to the applicable published fee shown on the pricing page.

15. External rights

This policy does not limit any mandatory rights under consumer, contract, privacy or other applicable law. Privacy complaints and data-rights requests may also be directed to the competent regulator where applicable, and are handled under our Global Privacy and Data Protection Notice.