What we can and cannot do

What we can and cannot do is set out in our terms of reference. You are welcome to read them on our website or you can ask us for a copy.

We will decide whether your complaint fits in with these terms, whether we can deal with it and the best way to handle it.

How long it takes us to come up with a resolution depends on how complicated your complaint is and how quickly we can get hold of all the relevant facts.

Licensing complaints that we can deal with

The types of complaints we can deal with include:

• incorrect charging or payment for licenses;
• unfair treatment;
• avoidable delays or failing to take action;
• wrong or misleading information;
• failure to follow proper procedures including those set out in PRS for Music’s published code of practice;
• rudeness or discourtesy;
• not explaining matters; and
• poor or incompetent service.

Licensing complaints that we cannot deal with

The types of complaints that we cannot deal with include:

• complaints that are not about the public performance licensing activities of PRS for Music;
• the terms and conditions of PRS for Music’s standard licenses and their interpretation;
• complaints concerning matters of copyright law;
• PRS for Music’s licensing schemes or pricing policies;
• commercial disputes which are within the jurisdiction of the courts and the Copyright Tribunal;
• PRS for Music employment or staff issues;
• cases which we consider to be malicious or unjustified; and
• complaints that are already being dealt with by the courts or other complaints procedures.

Membership complaints that we can deal with

We deal with unresolved complaints about the way in which PRS for Music has handled its dealings with you. For example, if:

• you believe that PRS for Music has failed to follow its own procedures including those set out in its published Code of Practice;
• you have been charged incorrectly for your license;
• PRS for Music has been discourteous or unprofessional toward you;
• PRS for Music has unreasonably delayed or failed to take action in its dealings with you;
• PRS for Music has treated you unfairly in relation to other license holders or music users in similar circumstances; or
• PRS for Music has given you wrong or misleading information.

Membership complaints that we cannot deal with

There are some issues that we are not allowed to deal with. These include:

• complaints which are not about the membership activities of PRS for Music;
• the terms and conditions of PRS for Music’s standard member agreement;
• the level of royalties for usage applied under PRS for Music’s distribution policies;
• complaints concerning matters of copyright law;
• commercial disputes which are within the jurisdiction of the courts of a Copyright Tribunal;
• problems being dealt with by courts or other complaints procedures;
• employment or staff issues at PRS for Music; and
• cases which we consider to be malicious of unjustified.