Complaints Procedure for Gardeners Hackney Marshes

Gardeners Hackney Marshes is committed to providing reliable, professional gardening services and building long-term relationships with our customers. We recognise that, from time to time, concerns may arise. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise an issue with us, how we will respond, and what you can expect at each stage.

Purpose of This Complaints Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a clear and fair process for handling complaints about our gardening and related services. It aims to ensure that your concerns are taken seriously, handled promptly and courteously, and used to improve our services in the future.

What This Procedure Covers

This Complaints Procedure applies to any dissatisfaction you may have with our services, including but not limited to:

Quality of gardening work carried out on your property.

Conduct, behaviour, or professionalism of our gardeners or representatives.

Arrangements for visits, such as timing, access, or cancellation issues.

Communication before, during, or after the service.

Invoices, quotations, or other service-related documentation.

If your concern relates to something outside our control, we will explain this and, where possible, direct you to a more appropriate organisation.

Raising a Complaint Informally

We encourage you to raise any concerns as soon as possible so we can address them quickly. In many cases, an issue can be resolved informally by speaking directly with the gardener on site or with a member of our team.

When raising an informal complaint, please provide:

Your full name and, if applicable, the property address where the work took place.

The date of the service and a brief description of the work carried out.

Details of what went wrong or did not meet your expectations.

What you would consider a reasonable resolution, if you have a preferred outcome.

We will make every effort to resolve the matter immediately or within a short timeframe. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the informal stage, you may proceed to the formal complaints process.

Making a Formal Complaint

If your concern cannot be resolved informally, or you prefer to make a formal complaint from the outset, you should put your complaint in writing. Written complaints ensure that we fully understand the issue and can investigate it thoroughly.

When submitting a formal complaint, please include:

Your full name and contact details.

The property address where the service was provided.

The date or dates of the service in question.

A clear description of your complaint, including any relevant background information.

Copies of any relevant documents you wish us to consider, such as quotations, invoices, or written communications.

Any steps you have already taken to try to resolve the matter and the outcome of those steps.

Acknowledgement of Your Complaint

Once we receive your formal complaint, we will acknowledge it within a reasonable period of time. Our acknowledgement will confirm that your complaint has been received, provide a reference for future communication about the matter, and outline the next steps and anticipated timescales for our investigation.

How We Investigate Complaints

Your complaint will be reviewed by a suitable member of our team who was not directly responsible for the work in question, where this is possible. The investigation may include:

Reviewing your written account and any supporting documents.

Speaking with the gardeners or staff involved in providing the service.

Reviewing schedules, job notes, and any relevant service records.

Where appropriate, arranging a follow-up visit to inspect the work carried out.

We aim to be thorough, fair, and objective throughout the investigation process, and to consider both your perspective and the information provided by our team.

Timeframe for Response

We will aim to provide you with a full written response within a reasonable timeframe following acknowledgement of your complaint. If, for any reason, we are unable to respond within this period, we will contact you to explain the delay and provide an updated timescale.

Outcome of Your Complaint

Once our investigation is complete, we will write to you with the outcome. Our response will:

Summarise the complaint as we understand it.

Explain the steps taken during the investigation.

Set out our findings in clear and straightforward language.

Confirm whether your complaint is upheld in full, upheld in part, or not upheld.

Explain any actions we propose to take to put matters right, where appropriate.

Where a complaint is upheld, possible outcomes may include rectifying the work, providing additional services, offering a partial or full refund, or giving an explanation and apology.

If You Remain Dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may request that the decision be reviewed. In such cases, a more senior member of our team, who has not previously been involved in the matter where possible, will conduct a review of both the complaint and the initial response.

The reviewer will consider whether our Complaints Procedure has been followed correctly and whether the outcome was fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Following the review, we will provide you with a final response.

Our Commitment to Continuous Improvement

We value all feedback, including complaints, as an opportunity to improve our gardening services and customer care. Information from complaints may be used to:

Identify areas where our service can be enhanced.

Provide additional training to our gardeners and staff.

Review and refine our internal processes and standards.

By following this Complaints Procedure, Gardeners Hackney Marshes aims to treat all customers with fairness and respect, resolve issues constructively, and maintain high standards in every garden we look after.