Complaints Procedure

Eltham Man and Van Complaints Procedure

Eltham Man and Van is committed to providing a reliable, professional and friendly removals service. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise concerns about our services, and how we will manage, investigate and resolve those concerns fairly and efficiently.

Purpose of this Complaints Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that any dissatisfaction with our man and van or removals services is dealt with in a consistent and transparent way. Our aims are to:

1. Make it easy for you to tell us when something has gone wrong.
2. Respond promptly, politely and clearly to all complaints.
3. Investigate issues thoroughly and objectively.
4. Offer fair resolutions wherever possible.
5. Use feedback to improve our services, processes and staff training.

What Counts as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about the standard of our removals, the conduct of our staff, the handling of your booking, or any aspect of the service you have received from Eltham Man and Van. This may include, for example:

1. Concerns about punctuality, reliability or the way a move was carried out.
2. Issues relating to the care taken with your belongings.
3. Disputes about charges, invoicing or quoted prices.
4. Perceived rudeness, unhelpfulness or unprofessional behaviour.
5. Delays, miscommunication or failure to follow agreed instructions.

We encourage you to raise any concerns as soon as possible so that we can address them promptly.

How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. Written complaints are preferred as they help to reduce misunderstandings and allow us to keep an accurate record. When submitting a complaint, please provide the following information where possible:

1. Your full name and the name under which the booking was made.
2. The date and location of the move or service provided.
3. A clear description of what happened and why you are dissatisfied.
4. Details of any damage, loss or delay, including photos if available.
5. Any steps you have already taken to try to resolve the issue with our team.
6. What outcome or resolution you are seeking.

We will treat every complaint confidentially and will only share details internally when necessary to investigate and resolve the matter.

Informal Resolution

Where possible, we encourage you to raise your concern informally in the first instance. This may be with the driver, team leader or member of staff present at your move, or with the staff member who handled your booking. Many issues can be resolved quickly at this stage through clarification, an explanation, or minor corrective action.

If you are not satisfied with the response, or if you feel the matter is too serious to handle informally, you can move to the formal complaints stage described below.

Formal Complaints Process

Once we receive a formal complaint, we will follow these steps:

1. Acknowledgement
We will acknowledge your complaint within five working days. This acknowledgement will confirm that we have received your complaint, outline the next steps, and provide an estimated timeframe for a full response.

2. Investigation
Your complaint will be reviewed by a manager or a senior member of staff who was not directly involved in the incident. They may:

1. Review booking records, job sheets and any internal notes.
2. Speak to the staff who handled your move or enquiry.
3. Request additional information or clarification from you.
4. Inspect photographs or any supporting evidence you provide.

We aim to conduct investigations fairly, listening carefully to all sides before reaching a conclusion.

3. Response
We aim to provide a full written response within twenty working days of acknowledging your complaint. If the matter is complex and requires more time, we will let you know and provide an updated timeframe.

Our response will set out:

1. A summary of your complaint.
2. The steps we took to investigate.
3. Our findings and any conclusions reached.
4. Any actions we propose to resolve the matter.

Possible Outcomes and Remedies

Depending on the nature and circumstances of the complaint, possible outcomes may include:

1. An explanation or clarification where there has been a misunderstanding.
2. An apology where we have fallen short of our standards.
3. Practical steps to put things right, where reasonably possible.
4. A review of internal procedures, staff training or supervision.

Where there is a potential claim for loss or damage to belongings, this will be handled in line with our terms and conditions and any applicable insurance arrangements. We may request supporting evidence such as photographs, purchase information or repair estimates to assess such claims.

If You Are Not Satisfied with Our Response

If you feel that your complaint has not been resolved satisfactorily, you may ask for a review. A senior member of the management team who was not involved in the original investigation will re-examine the complaint, the evidence, and our decision. They may uphold the original outcome, vary it, or propose an alternative resolution. We will inform you of the result of this review and explain the reasons for the decision.

Time Limits for Complaints

To help ensure that evidence is still available and memories are clear, we ask that complaints are raised as soon as reasonably possible. For issues relating to the conduct of a move, we encourage customers to contact us within seven days of the service date. Complaints raised later than this will still be considered, but our ability to investigate fully may be reduced.

Using Feedback to Improve Our Service

All complaints, whether upheld or not, are recorded and monitored. We regularly review this information to identify patterns, training needs and opportunities to improve our removals and man and van services. Your feedback, even when it relates to problems, is valuable in helping us raise our standards and deliver a better experience for future customers.

Policy Review

Eltham Man and Van may update this Complaints Procedure from time to time to reflect changes in our operations, legal requirements or industry best practice. The latest version will always apply to current and future complaints.