Part 4: Consumer rights and disputes Prohibition on acting as ADR provider without accreditation etc Section 294: Prohibitions relating to charging fees to consumers
This section restricts the fees that ADR providers may charge consumers.
	Subsections (1) and (2) prohibit accredited ADR providers, whether they provide the ADR themselves or through another person under special ADR arrangements, from charging the consumer fees for the ADR, unless those fees are charged in accordance with provisions approved by the Secretary of State. Any fees charged must be clearly published in a way that will come to the attention of consumers.
	The objective of subsections (1) and (2) is to ensure that accredited ADR providers do not charge consumers excessive fees for their ADR services, and for there to be consistency and transparency about those fees.
	Subsection (3) prevents a person who is carrying out ADR under a special ADR arrangement made by another ADR provider – whether the ADR provider making the arrangement is an accredited or exempt ADR provider – from charging the consumer any fee. This is to prevent a situation in which a consumer is charged twice, by the ADR provider making the special ADR arrangement and then by the person carrying out the ADR under it.
	In this section, the "consumer" is meant as the person who is the consumer in the consumer contract dispute in question. There is no restriction on the fees that an accredited ADR provider, or person acting under special ADR arrangements, may charge the person who is the trader in that dispute.