How to make an appeal to the Trust

Download the full guides on how to make an appeal to the Trust

Please note that the process varies slightly depending on what your original complaint was about.

How to appeal about a decision on an editorial complaint

• How to appeal to the Trust over an editorial complaint
• How to appeal to the Trust over a fair trading complaint
• How to appeal to the Trust over a general complaint
• How to appeal to the Trust over a TV Licensing complaint
• How to appeal to the Trust over a Digital Switchover Help Scheme complaint

How to make an appeal to the Trust

If you have complained to the BBC, or to TYV Licensing, or to the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, and you are unhappy with your final response, you can appeal to the Trust. A summary of how you can do this follows. But if you do want to make an appeal we advise you also to read the full Trust guide.

How to appeal to the Trust – summary

You can only appeal to the Trust if you have been through the full complaints process of the BBC, or TV Licensing, or the Digital Switchover Help Scheme.

• Complaints and appeals

If you have been through the full complaints process and are still not happy about the outcome you can contact the Trust to ask for an appeal.

Time limits for appeal requests

If your complaint is about the BBC or TV Licensing you have 20 days to ask for an appeal from the date of your final letter from the BBC Executive about your complaint. The Trust may allow longer if you have a good reason for the delay.

If your complaint is about the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, the time limit for asking for an appeal is 28 days from the date of the final letter from the Scheme management about your complaint.

Where to write

You should write to the Trust Unit to ask for an appeal. If you can't put your request in writing or have access problems, please see Problems with writing below

Appeals about editorial complaints go to

Complaints Manager
BBC Trust Unit
180 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 5QZ

Appeals about fair trading complaints go to

Head of Finance Economics and Strategy
BBC Trust Unit
180 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 5QZ

Appeals about general complaints go to

Correspondence Manager
BBC Trust Unit
180 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 5QZ

Appeals about TV Licensing complaints go to

Chief financial and compliance adviser
BBC Trust Unit
180 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 5QZ

Appeals about Digital Switchover Help Scheme complaints go to

The Appeals Adjudicator
BBC Trust Unit
180 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 5QZ

Problems with writing?

If you can't send your request for an appeal in writing or if you have an access problem, please contact the Trust Unit Enquiries Line on 03700 103 100. Textphone 03700 100 212.

What your letter should contain

For editorial, fair trading and general appeal we ask that your letter follows this format: Give brief details of your complaint and why you are not satisfied with the final response to it, and include any reference number and date from the final response to your complaint. Please keep your letter under 1000 words (about four sides). If it has to be longer, please also send a one-page summary.

Does the Trust always accept requests for appeals?

No. It depends on the nature of the complaint and whether or not it fits our published criteria for appeals. Either way, we will let you know our decision and tell you the reasons for it.

What happens when a request for an appeal is accepted?

If your request for an appeal is accepted the appeal will be considered by the relevant Trust committee (editorial appeals, for example, are heard by the Editorial Standards Committee). In some cases you may be invited to take part. You will be sent the decision and it will be published on this website.

Please note that the appeals process varies according to the subject of the complaint, so before you ask for an appeal we advise you to read the relevant full guide – there are links at the top of this page.