The 15-page booklet – called simply Code of Practice – is the first time the organisation has formally laid down its mission statement and provides a clear complaints procedure for anyone with a grievance.

It was launched at a reception for MPs and businessmen at the House of Commons on Wednesday July 15th. The 12-point guide takes users through a simple step-by-step guide, explaining what PRS for Music does and what people should expect in their dealings with the society.

The first section gives licensees the low-down on the society. This is followed by the society’s commitment, detailing the kind of service PRS staff should provide. Other areas covered include why and when PRS for Music will contact licensees, how to contact the society, how it sets charges, making payments and amending or cancelling a PRS licence.

One of the longer sections is about the complaints procedure and who to contact if people believe they have a grievance. Anyone not satisfied with how PRS for Music handles complaints may then be directed to an Ombudsman – an independent service set up to review complaints made to the society.

A PRS spokesman says the code clarifies exactly what the society does and provides best business practices alongside transparency and openness. “A lot of licensees weren’t sure who they were dealing with. This clarifies that and shows what we do,” he says.

The society began writing the Code of Practice several months ago and has also consulted with various parties, including the Federation of Small Businesses, the British Beer and Pub Association and the Intellectual Property Office.

The move chimes with a recommendation in the Government’s recent Digital Britain report, which suggested that collecting societies should produce agreed codes of practice, including “greater transparency and improved complaints handling procedures to give aggrieved users, whether members of the societies, consumers or businesses more effective redress”.

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