Complaints Procedure

Man With a Van Southgate Complaints Procedure

Man With a Van Southgate is committed to providing a reliable and professional removals and transport service for household and commercial customers. We recognise that, on occasion, things can go wrong. When this happens, we want to hear about it so we can put matters right and improve our service. This complaints procedure explains how you can make a complaint, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us at each stage.

Our Commitment to Handling Complaints

We treat all complaints seriously and handle them in a fair, consistent and timely manner. Our aims are to understand what went wrong, to resolve the issue where possible, and to learn from the experience so we can minimise the chances of similar problems arising in future.

We will always seek to:

Listen carefully to your concerns and treat you with courtesy and respect.

Investigate what has happened in an objective and balanced way.

Keep you informed throughout the process.

Provide a clear explanation of our findings and any decisions made.

Offer, where appropriate, practical solutions or remedial action.

What This Procedure Covers

This procedure applies to complaints relating to our man and van and removals services, including but not limited to:

Domestic moves, flat and house removals.

Small office and business moves.

Student moves and one-off item transport.

Collection and delivery of items within our general service area.

It covers issues such as punctuality, conduct of staff, quality of service, damage to property or belongings, missing items, communication, and billing concerns.

How to Make a Complaint

We encourage customers to raise concerns as soon as possible, ideally on the day of the move or delivery, so that matters can be addressed promptly. You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. When submitting a complaint, please provide as much detail as you can, including:

Your full name and the address where the service was provided.

The date of the move or booking and any reference details you may have.

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

Details of any loss or damage you believe has taken place.

Any supporting information that may assist our investigation, such as photographs of damage, inventory lists, or copies of paperwork given to you by our team.

Raising the matter promptly and clearly helps us to investigate more thoroughly and reach a resolution more quickly.

Time Limits for Submitting Complaints

We ask that general service concerns be raised within 7 days of completion of the move or transport service. Allegations of damage to items or property should ideally be notified within 48 hours of the service finishing, along with any available photographs and details of the items involved.

We may still consider complaints raised after these timeframes, but our ability to investigate fully could be limited, especially where there is no contemporary evidence available.

Stage One: Initial Review and Acknowledgement

Once we receive your complaint, we will log it and arrange for an initial review. We will normally acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days. This acknowledgement will confirm that we have received your concerns and that an investigation has begun.

At this stage, we may contact you for further information or clarification. Providing clear and complete information at the outset will help to avoid delays later in the process.

Stage Two: Investigation of Your Complaint

Your complaint will be investigated by a person with appropriate responsibility who was not directly involved in the matter being complained about, wherever possible. The investigation may include:

Reviewing booking details, written instructions, and any relevant terms provided.

Speaking to the team members who carried out your move or transport.

Examining any photographs, inventories, or other supporting evidence.

Assessing whether the service delivered met our expected standards and any applicable internal policies.

We aim to complete the investigation and provide you with a written response within 14 working days of acknowledging your complaint. If, for any reason, we anticipate that it will take longer, we will let you know and provide an updated timescale.

Stage Three: Our Response and Possible Outcomes

Once our investigation is complete, we will provide a clear response which will include:

A summary of the issues you raised.

Details of the investigation steps taken.

Our findings in relation to each key point.

Any offer of remedial action, explanation, or goodwill gesture, where appropriate.

Possible outcomes may include an apology, a further explanation of what happened, practical steps to address any ongoing issues, or a goodwill offer where we consider it appropriate in the circumstances and in line with our terms. Any possible reimbursement or contribution to costs will take into account the information available, the condition and value of items, the nature of the loss or damage, and any relevant contractual terms and limits.

Stage Four: Escalation of Your Complaint

If you are not satisfied with the outcome at Stage Three, you may request that your complaint be reviewed again. In doing so, please explain why you remain dissatisfied and what outcome you are seeking.

An escalation review will involve a fresh look at the complaint by a senior person who has not previously handled your case where possible. They will consider whether the original investigation was fair, whether all relevant information has been taken into account, and whether the conclusion and outcome were reasonable.

We will aim to provide a final written response to your escalated complaint within 14 working days of your request for escalation. This response will represent our final position on the matter under this internal procedure.

Behaviour and Respect

We understand that experiencing problems during a move or transport service can be stressful and upsetting. We do not expect customers to remain unemotional, but we do ask that all communication with our team remains respectful and free from abusive or threatening language.

In exceptional circumstances, if communication becomes abusive or unreasonable, we may limit the ways in which you can contact us about the complaint. Where this is necessary, we will explain our reasons in writing.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

All complaints will be handled in confidence and in accordance with our obligations in relation to personal data. Information will only be shared internally on a need-to-know basis so that we can investigate and respond properly to your concerns.

Using Feedback to Improve Our Service

We value feedback from customers across our operating area and treat complaints as an important source of information about how our services are performing. We regularly review complaints to identify patterns or recurring issues, and we use this information to improve training, procedures, and communication with customers throughout the removals and transport process.

By following this complaints procedure, we aim to deal with any concerns in a constructive and professional way, helping to maintain the standards that customers expect from Man With a Van Southgate.