Complaints Procedure

Complaints Procedure for Man With a Van East Ham

Man With a Van East Ham is committed to providing a reliable and professional removal service for households and businesses. We understand that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and the steps we will take to resolve issues fairly and promptly.

Purpose of This Complaints Procedure

The aim of this procedure is to provide a clear and straightforward process for customers who are dissatisfied with any aspect of our man and van or removal services. It is designed to ensure that complaints are handled consistently, transparently, and within reasonable timescales, and that any justified criticism leads to improvements in our service.

What Is a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about the standard of service, conduct of staff or drivers, the condition of your belongings on delivery, punctuality, communication, or any other aspect of your experience with Man With a Van East Ham. We treat all complaints seriously and will investigate them thoroughly.

How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. We recommend that you provide as much detail as possible so that we can investigate efficiently. When raising a complaint, please include:

The date and time of your booking or removal service, the collection and delivery locations, a description of what went wrong or did not meet your expectations, the names of any staff you dealt with, if known, and any supporting information, such as photographs of damage or written notes made at the time.

If you initially raise your complaint by telephone or in person, we may ask you to confirm it in writing so that there is a clear record of your concerns and the details involved.

Complaint Time Limits

We ask that you notify us of any issues as soon as reasonably possible. Complaints about damage to property or belongings should be reported as soon as the issue is noticed, ideally on the day of service or within a short time afterwards. This allows us to review our records, speak with the removal team involved, and assess any evidence while it is still current.

Acknowledgement of Your Complaint

Once we receive your complaint, we will acknowledge it within a reasonable timeframe. In our acknowledgement, we will confirm that we have received your complaint, explain who will be dealing with it, and outline the next steps and expected timescales for our response.

How We Investigate Complaints

Your complaint will be investigated by a manager or a suitably senior member of our team who was not directly responsible for the issue you are complaining about. This helps ensure that your concerns are reviewed impartially.

The investigation may include reviewing your booking details and job notes, speaking to the driver and removal team who handled your move, examining any photographs, documents, or evidence you have provided, and, where necessary, requesting further information or clarification from you.

We aim to complete our investigation within a reasonable period. If we anticipate any delay, we will let you know and provide an updated timescale.

Our Response and Possible Outcomes

After we have completed our investigation, we will provide you with a written response setting out the findings. Our response will summarise the issue you raised, explain the steps we took to investigate, outline our conclusions, and detail any actions we will take to put things right or prevent similar problems in future.

Depending on the nature of your complaint and the outcome of our investigation, possible resolutions may include an apology and explanation, corrective action, such as revisiting the property to address an issue where appropriate, a goodwill gesture where justified, and service improvements, such as additional staff training or changes to our procedures.

If You Are Not Satisfied With the Outcome

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your complaint or believe that it has not been handled fairly, you may request that your complaint is reviewed by a more senior member of our management team. When requesting a review, please explain which aspects of the decision you disagree with and provide any additional information you feel is relevant.

We will then carry out a further review and provide you with a final response, outlining whether the original decision is upheld or amended and the reasons for that decision.

Claims for Loss or Damage

Where your complaint relates to loss of, or damage to, your belongings during a move, please provide a clear description of the items affected, the nature and extent of the damage, and, where available, evidence such as photographs, estimates, or receipts. We will assess such claims in line with our terms and conditions and any applicable limits of liability agreed at the time of booking.

We may need to inspect the items or ask for further information to help us confirm the cause and extent of any loss or damage before deciding on appropriate redress.

Responsibilities of Our Team

All members of our removals and man and van team are required to cooperate fully with any complaint investigation. Managers are responsible for ensuring that complaints are logged, monitored, and handled within the timescales set out in this procedure. We also review complaints periodically to identify patterns or trends that may indicate the need for changes in training, staffing, or operational processes.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

All complaints are handled with appropriate confidentiality. Information you provide will only be shared with those who need to know in order to investigate and resolve your complaint. We will handle your personal data in accordance with our data protection obligations and retain records of complaints only for as long as is necessary for legal and business purposes.

Using This Procedure

This Complaints Procedure is intended to be fair, accessible, and easy to use. It applies to all customers of Man With a Van East Ham, whether you have booked a single man and van service or a larger removal job. By following this process, you help us understand what went wrong and give us the opportunity to put it right and improve our services for future customers.

If you have any concerns about this procedure or how your complaint is being handled, you may raise this with the person dealing with your complaint, who will explain the process and your options in more detail.