Gardeners Spitalfields Complaints Procedure

This Complaints Procedure explains how Gardeners Spitalfields handles concerns and complaints about our gardening and grounds maintenance services. Our aim is to resolve issues quickly, fairly and in a way that helps us continually improve the quality, reliability and safety of our work.

Our Commitment To You

We want every client to be satisfied with the standard of our gardening services, from routine maintenance to more complex outdoor projects. If something goes wrong, we will take your concerns seriously, investigate them carefully and work with you to agree a suitable outcome wherever possible.

We are committed to handling complaints in a transparent and respectful way. We will keep your information confidential, use it only for managing your complaint and comply with relevant data protection requirements.

What Counts As A Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services or the way they are delivered, whether this is made verbally or in writing. Examples include concerns about the quality of gardening work, how and when a service was carried out, the conduct of team members on site, or the way we have communicated with you.

Raising a complaint will not affect your right to continue using our services, and you will not be treated unfavourably for choosing to complain.

How To Make A Complaint

You can make a complaint verbally or in writing. Where possible, we encourage you to speak to us directly in the first instance, as many issues can be resolved quickly and informally. If you prefer, you may also submit your complaint in writing so that we have a clear record of the points you wish to raise.

To help us understand and investigate your complaint, please provide the following information where you can:

The date and location of the gardening work your complaint relates to. A clear description of what went wrong or did not meet your expectations. Any steps already taken to try to resolve the matter. Any photographs or notes that may help explain the issue. How you would ideally like the matter to be resolved.

Stage One: Informal Resolution

At the first stage, we will try to resolve your complaint informally. This usually involves a discussion with the person who arranged or carried out the work, or with a manager responsible for the relevant service.

We will aim to:

Acknowledge your complaint as soon as reasonably possible. Listen to your concerns and clarify any points we are unsure about. Offer a practical solution where we are able to do so, such as arranging a revisit, correcting work, adjusting a schedule or providing an explanation.

Many concerns can be resolved quickly in this way. If you are satisfied with the outcome, the matter will be closed and recorded for our internal quality monitoring.

Stage Two: Formal Investigation

If your complaint cannot be resolved informally, or if you are not satisfied with the response at Stage One, you may ask for a formal review. At this stage a manager who has not been directly involved in the original work will investigate your complaint in more detail.

During a formal investigation we may:

Review job records, schedules and any relevant notes. Speak to the team members who carried out the work. Visit the garden or outdoor area again if appropriate. Consider whether our standards, procedures or communications were followed.

Following this review we will provide a written response setting out our findings, any steps we propose to take and the reasons for our decision. We will aim to complete this process within a reasonable timeframe, taking into account the complexity of the issues raised and any need for site visits or further checks.

Possible Outcomes And Remedies

Where we find that something has gone wrong, we will look for a fair and proportionate remedy. Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

Correcting work that does not meet the agreed specification where this is practical and safe. Offering a revisit to address missed areas or incomplete tasks. Reviewing schedules or arrangements to prevent similar issues in future. Providing an explanation or clarification where expectations and services have not been clearly aligned.

Where we do not uphold a complaint, we will explain our reasons and, where applicable, provide information about our standards and procedures so you understand how the decision was reached.

Escalating A Complaint

If you remain dissatisfied after the formal investigation, you may ask us to escalate your complaint for a final review. This will normally be carried out by a senior member of the team. They will review the handling of your complaint to date, the decisions made and the evidence available, and decide whether any further action is appropriate.

Once the final review is complete, we will write to you confirming our final position. This will normally bring our internal complaints process to an end.

Time Limits For Complaints

We encourage you to raise any concerns about our gardening services as soon as possible, preferably within a reasonable time of the work taking place. This allows us to investigate effectively and, where necessary, put things right promptly.

Complaints raised a long time after the event may be more difficult to investigate in full, but we will still consider the information you provide and respond where we are able to do so.

Using Complaints To Improve Our Services

We record and review complaints to identify any recurring issues, trends or areas where our services can be improved. Feedback from clients helps us refine our working practices, training and communication so that we can maintain high standards in garden care and maintenance across our service area.

By following this Complaints Procedure, we aim to ensure that every concern is handled fairly, respectfully and with a focus on reaching a clear and reasonable outcome.