(1) Pilotage service provider responsibility.

(a) Complaints from customers. When a pilotage service provider receives a complaint from a customer or an applicant concerning rates or charges, it must:

(i) Acknowledge the complaint;

(ii) Investigate the matter promptly;

(iii) Report the results of the investigation to the complainant;

(iv) Take corrective action, if warranted, as soon as appropriate under the circumstances;

(v) Inform the complainant that the pilotage service provider's initial decision may be appealed to a higher level representative of the pilotage service provider, if any;

(vi) Inform the complainant, if still dissatisfied after speaking with the higher level representative, of the commission's availability for review of the complaint; and

(vii) Provide the complainant with the commission's mail and email addresses and toll free telephone number.

(b) Complaint referred by commission. When commission consumer protection staff refers an informal complaint regarding rates or charges to the pilotage service provider, the pilotage service provider must:

(i) Investigate and report the results to the commission consumer protection staff within two business days (the commission consumer protection staff may grant an extension of time for responding to the complaint if requested and warranted);

(ii) Keep the commission consumer protection staff informed of progress toward the solution; and

(iii) Inform the commission consumer protection staff of the final result.

(c) Complaint record. A pilotage service provider must keep a record of all complaints against it concerning rates or charges for at least one year. The record of complaints must be made readily available for commission review. The record must contain:

(i) The complainant's name and address;

(ii) Date and nature of the complaint;

(iii) Action taken; and

(iv) Final result.

(2) Complaints to commission. Applicants, customers, or their representatives may file with the commission either:

(a) An informal complaint against the pilotage service provider under the provisions of WAC 480-07-910; or

(b) A formal complaint against the pilotage service provider under the provisions of WAC 480-07-370.