Complaints Procedure

St John's Wood Removals Complaints Procedure

St John's Wood Removals is committed to providing a reliable, careful and professional removals service for households and businesses. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. This Complaints Procedure sets out how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us throughout the process.

Purpose of this Complaints Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all complaints are handled in a consistent, transparent and timely manner. It applies to all customers using our removal, packing, loading, transport, storage or related services. Our aim is to resolve issues as quickly as possible and to use feedback to improve our services across the areas we serve.

What Counts as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services, whether justified or not, where you are expecting a response. This may include concerns about:

Quality of our removal, packing or storage services.

Conduct, attitude or behaviour of our staff or contractors.

Care and handling of your belongings or property.

Timing, punctuality, or organisation of your move.

Accuracy of quotations, invoicing or other documentation.

Communication before, during or after your move.

How to Make a Complaint

We encourage you to raise any issues as soon as possible so that we have the best opportunity to put things right. You can make a complaint in writing or by speaking with us directly. While we accept complaints made verbally, we recommend sending your complaint in writing so that there is a clear record of the details.

When submitting your complaint, please include:

Your full name and contact details.

Your moving date and the service you booked.

A clear description of what went wrong and when it happened.

Names of any staff involved, if known.

Any supporting information, such as photographs or notes.

Your preferred outcome or how you would like us to resolve the matter.

Stages of the Complaints Process

We use a staged approach to ensure every complaint is given fair and thorough consideration.

Stage One: Initial Review and Acknowledgement

Once we receive your complaint, we will log it in our internal register and arrange for an appropriate member of our team to review it. We will acknowledge your complaint within a reasonable time frame, confirming that we have received it and outlining the next steps.

Stage Two: Investigation

A manager or senior member of staff will investigate your complaint. This may involve:

Reviewing your booking details, inventory and job notes.

Speaking with the crew members or staff involved.

Examining any relevant photographs, correspondence or reports.

Assessing our procedures for the service provided.

During this stage, we may contact you for further information or clarification to ensure we fully understand your concerns. We aim to complete our investigation and provide you with a written response in a reasonable and practical timeframe, which will depend on the complexity of the issue.

Stage Three: Response and Outcome

After the investigation is completed, we will provide you with a clear written response that will include:

A summary of your complaint.

Details of the investigation carried out.

Our findings and any conclusions reached.

Any proposed resolution, which may include an explanation, apology, corrective action or other appropriate remedy.

If we need more time to complete our investigation, we will let you know and explain why.

Stage Four: Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the outcome at Stage Three, you may request an escalation. Your complaint will then be reviewed by a more senior member of our management team not previously involved in the matter. They will consider whether the procedure has been followed correctly and whether the outcome is fair and reasonable based on the evidence available.

Following this review, we will send you a final response setting out our position and any further actions we will take.

Timescales

We aim to deal with all complaints as quickly as practicable. The time needed will depend on the complexity and nature of the issues raised, for example whether they involve multiple locations or third-party services such as storage. Where we cannot meet our usual target timescales, we will keep you informed of progress and provide updated time estimates.

Fairness and Confidentiality

All complaints are treated seriously and handled with respect. We will not discriminate against you for raising a complaint, and it will not affect any future service you may wish to book with us. Information relating to your complaint will be kept confidential and only shared with those who need to know in order to investigate and resolve the matter.

Using Complaints to Improve Our Service

We value feedback from our customers across all the areas we serve, whether local moves or longer-distance relocations. Complaints help us identify where procedures can be strengthened, where additional staff training may be required, and how we can improve the planning and delivery of removal services. We regularly review complaints data to identify trends and make improvements to our systems and working practices.

Limitations and Related Matters

This Complaints Procedure is intended to resolve customer dissatisfaction with our service and is separate from any insurance or claims process that may apply in the event of loss or damage. Time limits, evidence requirements and terms may apply to claims relating to belongings transported or stored by us. Details of cover and any limitations will be provided in your contract and related documents. We may signpost you to the appropriate process where your issue concerns a claim rather than a service complaint.

Review of this Procedure

We review this Complaints Procedure periodically to ensure that it remains clear, effective and appropriate for the range of household and commercial removals we undertake. We may update the procedure to reflect changes in our operations, customer expectations or applicable guidance. The version on our website will always be the most current.

St John's Wood Removals is committed to handling all complaints fairly, promptly and professionally, and to using your feedback to continue improving the quality and reliability of our removal services.