GOAL: To provide an avenue for buyers/sellers to get information on buyers/sellers.
First of all, I want it be very clear that the Model Horse Improved Business Bureau is an Information Service. This is not a business, and I will not charge fees. I am not going to get involved in disputes through mediation or investigation. This will not be a gossip column, either.
I received an email from someone who suggested I am "making and disseminating...libelous statements". Please understand that I do not reveal what information I receive other than what I outlined in the previous paragraph. I have spoken with attorneys about this, and I am not liable for another person's statements. In addition, anyone can inquire about anyone so, if you want to know what is being said about you, just ask me and I'll refer you to the person or persons making the statements.
When I receive a complaint against someone, the complaint is noted & filed, and a copy is sent to the individual being complained against. Along with the forwarded letter, I will include at the top of it, a disclaimer stating that I am not liable for the complaint itself, and that I am only passing along information supplied to the MHIBB. I will in no way become a party in any possible dispute between the parties involved. However, I will give the one being complained against the opportunity to respond to the complaint if they'd like & give their side of the "story", and this response would be sent to me for filing along with the complaint itself. I will put a time limit on the response from the second party (10 days), and the complaint will become available for public inquiry knowledge if I do not receive a response within that time frame.
Please take note here: Because of the new policy, I must have some way to contact both parties in a complaint ie email addys, snail addys. I will not be able to accept the complaint unless I can contact both parties.
The Clean Slate Rule will be as follows: (Thanks to Peri Riggins for her wonderful idea!) Each December 31 the MHIBB will "wipe the records clean" BUT I will still hold onto all of the records. If the MHIBB continues to get complaints each year on a person, that goes on a separate list. This allows the MHIBB to track if the person has a history, yet they also get a second chance to improve. I will mark each "year" of complaints as 1 complaint (i.e. this year Ms. Roa has 3 complaints, she is flagged. Next year her "first" complaint is "flagged in '97" and therefore she'll need 2 more complaints for '98). If the MHIBB receives those then she starts out in '99 as: complaint #1 - flagged in '97; complaint #2 - flagged in '98; One more complaint and she's flagged again. In 2000 she would start off as having 3 complaints and is automatically flagged. However, if a person gets no complaints in '98 (even though they were flagged in '97) they will be "wiped clean". I will keep "praises" indefinitely. As of today, 11 people will be "flagged" in 1998.
I look forward to hearing from you, whether it is in the form of a praise, suggestion, comment or complaint. :-) Take care!