Any business accepted for BBB accreditation must meet and maintain the following standards:
1. Be in business for a minimum of one year, or such period of time deemed necessary by BBB for proper evaluation of the business unless:
· the business is a branch of a BBB accredited business
· the business is a BBB accredited business in another BBB service area
2. Supply background information about the business, its principals and any other information requested by the BBB needed to conduct the necessary background investigation to develop a factual report on the business.
3. Fulfill all license and bond requirements of applicable city, county, state and federal agencies and provide copies of such licenses and/or license numbers upon application for BBB accreditation and provide periodic updates upon request from BBB.
4. Complete and sign BBB Accreditation Agreement and pay appropriate annual accreditation fees as set by the Better Business Bureau Board of Directors.
5. Respond promptly and fairly to all complaints that the business receives from the BBB and report its position within 25 calendar days of the mailing date of the complaint. Make good faith efforts to resolve all such complaints in accordance with generally accepted good business practices. A BBB accredited business must have no unanswered or unresolved complaints.
6. Agree to binding arbitration under BBB Rules of Arbitration for all unresolved complaints, or another alternative arbitration provider that meets BBB criteria including but not limited to; reasonable fees in relation to the dispute amount, convenience to the consumer, use of impartial decision makers, and rendering of timely decisions. If a business chooses an alternative dispute resolution process they must provide a copy of that process agreement to the BBB.
7. Comply with decisions rendered in arbitration in a timely manner.
8. Make diligent efforts to eliminate the underlying cause(s) of patterns of consumer complaints that the BBB may call to the company’s attention.
9. Be free from an unsatisfactory rating at the BBB in whose service area the business is headquartered.
10. Adhere to established standards of advertising and selling, including the BBB Code of Advertising and other BBB guidelines. Adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards. The business must agree to provide BBB with substantiation or agree to modify or discontinue any advertising or selling claims challenged by BBB.
11. Be free from any governmental action concerning the marketplace and its customers that demonstrates a failure of the business to support the principles and purposes of the BBB. Accreditation must be suspended when such an action is filed.
12. Cooperate with BBB activities and efforts to promote voluntary self-regulation within the company’s industry.
13. A company’s public image or activity shall not be such that it would, in the opinion of the BBB, reflect unfavorably on the BBB or its accredited businesses.
14. Agree to use the BBB name and logo only in accordance with BBB’s Identification Program. Refrain from using the name or logo of the BBB for commercial, sales or advertising purposes in a manner not specifically authorized by the BBB. Abide by the BBB name and logo policies of the BBB Identification Program, and/or BBBOnLine.
Failure to maintain and support the BBB accreditation standards shall result in termination of BBB accreditation and all its rights and benefits.