Complaints Policy 2023

bthechange is committed to providing a high quality, transparent and accessible service to everyone we deal with. In order to do this we need to know when we get things wrong. We want to help resolve all complaints as quickly as possible.

We handle any expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for a response as a complaint. We listen to complaints, treat them seriously, and learn from

Our standards for handling complaints

• We can receive complaints by letter or email, or alternatively if required by virtue of reasonable adjustments. We treat all complaints seriously.
• You can expect to be treated with courtesy, respect and fairness at all times. We expect that you will also treat our staff dealing with your complaint with the same courtesy, respect and fairness.

We will treat your complaint in confidence.

• We will deal with your service complaint promptly. We will acknowledge receipt of a written complaint within five working days where we have a return address and you can expect to have a full reply within 20 working days. In a few cases we will not be able to send a full reply within 20 working days of receipt, for example if your complaint is very complex. If this happens, we will tell you the reason why and let you know when we will be able to reply in full, keeping you fully informed of progress.

We will not treat you less favourably than anyone else because of your:

• sex or legal marital or same-sex partnership status: this includes family status, responsibility for dependants, and gender (including gender reassignment, whether proposed, commenced or completed)
• sexual orientation colour or race: this includes ethnic or national origin or nationality disability
• religious or political beliefs, or trade union affiliation
• any other unjustifiable factors, for example language difficulties, age, pregnancy and maternity.

Confidentiality

• All complaints received will be dealt with confidentially and in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, subject to the need to disclose information as required by statutory authorities, and/or as a result of statutory, legal or parliamentary obligations.

How to complain to us 

• If you wish to make a complaint, you can do so by email or letter.

If you are disabled, and need a reasonable adjustment to ensure you can register your complaint, you can contact us alternatively by:

• telephone
• in person
• 
  

Our contact details are in the contacting us section below. If you require different adjustments, let us know and we will try and put those arrangements in place where we can.

How we will respond to your complaint 

When we get things wrong we will act to:

• accept responsibility and apologise
• explain what went wrong and why, and
• put things right by making any changes required
• learn lessons from mistakes and change policies and practices where proportionate and sensible to do so

The action we take to put matters right (i.e. redress) in response to a service complaint can include any combination of the remedies set out in the list below. The general principle we follow is that complainants should, so far as possible, be put in the position they would have been in, had things not gone wrong.

The remedy applied needs to be proportionate and appropriate to the failure in service, and take into account what redress people seek when they complain. An apology is generally the most appropriate action, but other action may also be necessary in some circumstances.

List of remedies

• A full apology, explaining what happened and/or what went wrong. ( an apology is not an acceptance of liability under Section 2 of the Compensation Act 2006)
• Remedial action, which may include reviewing or changing a decision on the service given to an individual complainant
• Provide the service required in first instance (immediately, if appropriate)
• Putting things right (for example a change of procedure to prevent future difficulties of a similar kind, either for the complainant or others)
• Training or supervising staff; or a combination of both

Recording Complaints

Complaint details, outcomes and actions taken are recorded by us and used for service improvement. We record all complaints we receive and collate data from them to help us understand what types of problems are most prevalent, and how well we are doing to resolve them.

We value your feedback and expect to use it to help us to:

• get things right in the future if we have not done so already
• become more customer focused
• be more open and accountable
• act fairly and proportionately
• seek continuous improvement

We will handle your information so that it is only processed and retained appropriately and legally, in line with data protection legislation.

Contacting us

All complaints and requests for review under our complaints procedure should be sent as follows:

By post: bthechange CIC, FAO Operations Director, The Generator, Quay House, The Gallery, Kings Wharf, The Quay, Exeter, Devon, EX2 4AN
 
By email: hello@bthechange.org.uk

If you are unable to contact us in writing as above, and require a reasonable adjustment because you are a disabled person, you may contact us as follows:

Telephone: 0800 0016 521

This policy has been approved by The Board of  Directors – December 2022

This Policy will be reviewed and updated in December 2023 or if an incident has occurred during the year.