RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

This page guides you through using the Know your rights pack. We have developed this pack to give you information about:

  • The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), and
  • Your rights to equipment to allow access to goods, facilities and services under the DDA. This includes induction loops and infrared broadcast systems.

Contents

Factsheets

There are four factsheets:

You can send the DDA factsheet for service providers and the induction loops factsheet for people managing public venues to the service provider, together with your letter. You could do this to draw the service provider's attention to the law and the technical information about loop and infrared systems.

Standard letter from you to a service provider

This letter is for you to amend and to present to any service provider who you feel has discriminated against you under the DDA. Before you send a letter, or contact the service provider in any other format, please consult the factsheets in this pack for guidance about what is covered by the DDA. 

Service providers may refuse to install permanent induction loop systems or infrared systems simply because these require a permanent physical change to their premises. In some circumstances, it may not be reasonable for the service provider to install a permanent system. However, they may have to make other reasonable adjustments, for example temporary induction loops, if appropriate.

If a service provider has not fitted a permanent system, you could ask if they intend to do so, and ask for details.

Even if there is no permanent or temporary system, you should still draw your experience to their attention. If a permanent system has been installed, the service provider has a legal duty to make sure that it is carefully chosen and well maintained.

The current sample standard letters refer to cinemas and theatres, or courts or banks. However, the law applies to other public venues, and the factsheet about your rights under the DDA, "The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) – a guide for deaf people", gives examples of such service providers. If the service provider has a formal complaints procedure, it is usually best to use it.  If you do this, you should still send a copy of the DDA factsheet to them.

Sample letter

We have included a sample letter to show how the information in the standard letter could be used in a complaint. This letter is an example of a complaint letter, but you can write your letter in a different way if you prefer.

How we can help you further

Please feel free to mention that you have contacted RNID about your experience if you feel it would be helpful to your case.

We are always keen to find out about your success stories. Also, please let us know if you found this pack useful.