40Acceptance period for offers of redress

40  Acceptance period for offers of redress  (1) The acceptance period for an offer of redress to a person is the period determined by the Operator, which must be at least 6 months, starting on the date of the offer.  (2) The Operator may, by written notice to the person, extend the acceptance period if the Operator considers there are exceptional circumstances that justify the extension.  (3) An extension under subsection (2) may be given:  (b) on a request made by the person under subsection (4).  (4) The person may request the Operator to extend the acceptance period. The request must comply with any requirements prescribed by the rules.  (4A) An extension under subsection (2) may be given, or a request under subsection (4) may be made:  (a) before the end of the acceptance period; or  (b) at or after the end of the acceptance period if the person has neither accepted nor declined the offer of redress (disregarding subsection 45(2)).  (5) If the Operator extends the period, the acceptance period is the original period as extended by the Operator.  (6) To avoid doubt, if:  (a) under subsection 45(2), a person is taken to have declined an offer of redress because the person did not accept the offer before the end of the acceptance period; and  (b) at or after the end of the acceptance period, the Operator extends the acceptance period under subsection (2) of this section; then subsection 45(2) does not apply, and is taken never to have applied, to the person at any time occurring during the acceptance period as extended (but may apply to the person at or after the end of the acceptance period as extended).