Storage Old Ford Complaints Procedure
Storage Old Ford is committed to delivering reliable storage and removal services and to resolving any concerns in a fair and timely manner. This complaints procedure explains how you can raise an issue with us, what we will do in response, and the standards you can expect throughout the process.
1. Our Commitment to You
We aim to provide a professional and courteous service at all times, whether you are using our storage facilities, removal services, or a combination of both. If you feel that we have fallen short in any area, we want to know about it so that we can put things right and improve our service for the future.
All complaints are treated seriously and handled with respect, confidentiality and impartiality. We will always try to resolve matters as quickly and informally as possible, while keeping you clearly informed of progress.
2. What Counts as a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our storage or removal services, our staff, our communication, or our policies, where you are seeking a response or resolution. This includes but is not limited to:
Concerns about the handling of your belongings during removals or while in storage.
Issues with access, billing, or account management.
Delays, missed appointments, or problems on moving days.
Service quality, staff conduct, or communication issues.
We encourage you to raise any concerns as soon as possible so that we can address them promptly.
3. How to Make a Complaint
You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. While we will always do our best to help however you contact us, setting out your complaint in writing usually leads to a quicker and clearer resolution, as it allows us to record the key details accurately.
When making a complaint, please provide:
Your full name and any relevant reference number, if available.
A clear description of what happened and when it took place.
Details of any staff you spoke to or interacted with.
Any evidence that may help us understand the issue, such as photographs, inventories, receipts, or notes of conversations.
What outcome you are seeking, for example an explanation, correction, or review of charges.
This information helps us investigate thoroughly and respond appropriately.
4. Initial Resolution and Informal Complaints
Many issues can be resolved quickly and informally. If you are unhappy at any stage, please speak to a member of our team as soon as possible. For example, if there is a concern on the day of your removal, we encourage you to raise it with the team leader straight away so that they can try to resolve it on site.
If your concern cannot be resolved immediately, or if you prefer not to raise it informally, you can submit a formal complaint following the steps below.
5. Formal Complaint Process
Once we receive your formal complaint, we will acknowledge it in writing. We aim to send this acknowledgment within five working days. In the acknowledgment, we will confirm that we have received your complaint and explain the next steps in the process.
Your complaint will then be allocated to an appropriate member of our management team who will carry out a detailed review. This may involve:
Checking your account and documentation, such as contracts, inventories and invoices.
Reviewing any relevant photographs or evidence you have supplied.
Speaking with staff members involved in providing your storage or removal service.
Looking at our internal procedures and any applicable policies.
We aim to provide a full written response within 28 days of acknowledging your complaint. If, for any reason, we are unable to respond in full within this timeframe, we will contact you to explain the delay and provide a revised timescale.
6. Our Response and Possible Outcomes
When we have completed our investigation, we will write to you with our findings. Our response will include:
A summary of your complaint and the issues you raised.
An explanation of the steps we took to investigate.
Our decision and the reasons for it.
Details of any actions we will take to put things right, if appropriate.
Possible outcomes may include an explanation or clarification, an apology where we have made a mistake, corrective actions to our procedures or services, or other remedies that we consider reasonable in the circumstances.
7. If You Are Not Satisfied
If you are unhappy with our final response, you may request a further review. In doing so, please outline why you believe the outcome is not fair or does not fully address your concerns, and provide any additional information you feel is relevant.
We will arrange for a senior member of our team, not previously involved in handling your complaint, to review both the original complaint and our earlier response. Following this review, we will send you a final written decision.
8. Time Limits for Making a Complaint
To help us investigate effectively, we ask that you raise any complaint as soon as reasonably possible and, in any event, within six months of the event you are complaining about or of becoming aware of the issue. Complaints raised after this period may be more difficult to review in detail, especially where records or recollections are limited, but we will still do our best to assist.
9. Confidentiality and Data Protection
All complaints are handled in line with our data protection responsibilities. Information you provide will only be shared with staff who need it to review and resolve your complaint, or where we are legally required to disclose it. We will keep a record of your complaint and our response for monitoring and training purposes.
10. Continuous Improvement
We use feedback from complaints to improve our storage and removal services, our facilities, and our customer care. By telling us when something has gone wrong, you are helping us identify where we need to make changes, whether that is in communication, planning for removal jobs, or the way we manage stored items.
We appreciate you taking the time to raise any concerns, and we are committed to dealing with every complaint in a way that is fair, transparent and respectful.
