At C W Sellors, we are committed to making sure all of our clients are dealt with in a fair and proper manner.
With this in mind, we acknowledge the fact that some of our customers may be classified as ‘vulnerable’ as a result of a health affliction, be it physical, mental or otherwise. A customer may on occasion also be classified as vulnerable if English is not their first language, and we feel that there has been difficulty communicating with each other adequately.
Therefore, our team is committed to treating vulnerable customers based on their unique and individual needs. To do this, our team is trusted with identifying signs of vulnerability and ensuring such customers do not make a purchase with us or enter into a credit agreement with one of our lender partners without fully understanding what they are entering in to.
Signs of vulnerability may include a lack of understanding, communication issues and/or unusual or erratic behaviour.
If a member of staff believes that a customer could be classified as ‘vulnerable’ then they will ask non-intrusive questions in order to understand the customer’s circumstances, allowing them to identify if the customer is in fact vulnerable and what approach would be best taken to ensure that customer is treated fairly.
Any answers provided will be treated entirely confidentially and processed in line with GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
If we believe that the customer is not fully aware of what they are entering in to then we may take one or several of the following steps:
- Cease to continue with the sale of products or services.
- Cease to continue with any application for credit to fund a purchase.
- Request that a friend or family member be available to assist the customer, or we will arrange a follow-up appointment when a friend or family member is available.
- Provide the client with all necessary and relevant information in a clear, fair and not misleading manner, allowing them to make an informed decision.
We will not:
- Refuse to serve any customer solely due to their vulnerability, and will endeavour to work with them to ensure they are treated fairly.
- Stereotype demographics or individuals as being ‘vulnerable’ without an informed understanding of their situation.
