Plain English credit contract in the market

Understand your rights: Plain English credit contract in the market

Signing up with DTR for a new TV or fridge just got easier. On 22 April, DTR started using a new credit contract written in plain English. The new contract is designed to help customers understand what DTR promises, and what the customer needs to promise, before anyone signs the contract.

Called the Easi-own agreement, the new contract is the first consumer finance contract in New Zealand to carry the WriteMark, New Zealand’s plain English quality mark.

“We are committed to being a responsible lender and providing our customers with the best possible service,” said Mark Spring, Managing Director, Thorn Rentals Limited (trading as DTR). “A contract that is easy to read makes life easier for both the customer and our team. We are really proud to be the first in our industry to have a consumer finance contract that meets the WriteMark standard.”

“WriteMark is the recognised quality mark for plain English in New Zealand and we look forward to applying the same plain English principles to all consumer contracts across our business,” said Mark Spring.

Lynda Harris, chief executive and director of WriteMark Limited, congratulated DTR on its efforts to deliver the best possible consumer finance agreement. “We’re impressed with the commitment DTR has made to its customers. They’ve changed a complex legal document into a plain English document without losing any rigour. We believe that ordinary people should be able to read a consumer finance contract, and understand their rights and responsibilities before they sign. So does DTR.”

WriteMark believes that documents written in plain English are not just good for readers; they’re good for businesses too. Documents in plain English answer readers’ questions, creating better customer relationships.

WriteMark’s assessors judged the Easi-own agreement against 28 criteria that reflect internationally recognised principles for plain English. A document that carries the WriteMark is easy for the intended audience to read and act on.

ENDS

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