Shoreditch Removals Complaints Procedure

Shoreditch Removals is committed to providing a reliable and professional removals service for home and business customers. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. When this happens, we want to know about it so we can put matters right and improve our service. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us at each stage.

Scope of this Complaints Procedure

This procedure applies to all customers who have used, or attempted to use, our removal, packing, storage, or related services. It covers concerns about service quality, conduct of staff, damage or loss of goods, punctuality, communication, and administration of your booking or contract. This procedure does not cover matters that are already being dealt with through legal proceedings, insurance claims handled directly by an insurer, or issues outside our reasonable control such as severe weather or access restrictions imposed by third parties.

Aim of Our Complaints Process

Our aim is to resolve complaints fairly, promptly, and consistently. We will treat every complaint seriously and use the information to review and improve the way we plan and deliver our removals and storage services. We are committed to clear communication, transparency in our decisions, and learning from feedback where our service in and around our operating areas can be strengthened.

Raising an Informal Concern

Where possible, we encourage you to raise your concern informally with the member of staff on site or with the office team as soon as the issue arises. Many problems can be resolved quickly through discussion and clarification on the day of your move or shortly afterwards. If your concern is resolved informally to your satisfaction, it may not be necessary to use the formal complaints procedure. However, if you feel the matter has not been addressed properly, or the issue is serious, you should follow the formal procedure outlined below.

How to Make a Formal Complaint

If you wish to make a formal complaint, you should do so in writing so that there is a clear record of the matter. Please provide as much detail as possible, including your full name, the service address, the date of your move or service, a description of what went wrong, and what outcome you are seeking. If relevant, include any supporting information such as photographs of damage, inventory lists, or communications relating to your booking.

Written complaints can be sent to our registered office or delivered to our office during normal business hours. If you require assistance putting your complaint in writing, our team will provide reasonable support and will record your complaint on your behalf where necessary, confirming the details with you.

Acknowledgement of Your Complaint

Once we receive your formal complaint, we will acknowledge it in writing. We aim to send this acknowledgement within five working days. The acknowledgement will confirm that we have received your complaint, outline the next steps, and explain the indicative timescale for our investigation and response. If we require any further information at this stage, we will request it in the acknowledgement or shortly afterwards.

Investigation Process

Your complaint will be assigned to an appropriate manager who was not directly responsible for the work being complained about wherever possible. The investigator may need to speak with the crew, office staff, or third parties involved in your removal or storage service, and will review relevant documentation such as job sheets, inventories, photographs, and any previous correspondence.

During the investigation, we may contact you for clarification or to obtain additional details. This helps us understand your experience fully and ensure that we consider all relevant information. We aim to carry out the investigation fairly and objectively, taking into account the nature of the complaint, the terms of our contract, and any applicable industry standards.

Our Formal Response

We aim to provide a full written response to your complaint within twenty working days of acknowledging it. If we are unable to meet this timescale due to the complexity of the issues or the need to obtain information from third parties, we will inform you and provide an updated timescale.

Our written response will summarise your complaint, outline the steps we have taken to investigate it, and set out our findings and decision. Where your complaint is upheld, in whole or in part, we will explain what we will do to put matters right, which may include an explanation, an apology, remedial action, or a goodwill gesture, depending on the circumstances and any contractual or legal limitations that apply.

If You Remain Dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with our formal response, you may request a review. Your request should explain why you disagree with our findings or outcome and include any additional information you feel has not been considered. A more senior manager, who was not involved in the initial investigation, will review the complaint, our handling of it, and the decision reached.

We aim to complete this review and issue a final written response within fifteen working days of receiving your request. This marks the end of our internal complaints process. At this stage, if you remain dissatisfied, you may wish to seek independent advice about your options, which may include alternative dispute resolution or legal remedies where applicable.

Time Limits for Making a Complaint

To allow us to investigate effectively, we ask that you raise any complaint as soon as reasonably possible after the event, and in any case within six months of the date of your move or the date you became aware of the issue. Complaints raised after this period may be harder to investigate fully, particularly where evidence, records, or recollections are no longer available in sufficient detail.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

All complaints will be handled in line with our obligations under data protection legislation. Information you provide will be used only for the purpose of handling your complaint, improving our services, and meeting any legal or regulatory requirements. We will keep records of complaints and their outcomes securely and will retain them for an appropriate period to monitor trends and service standards.

Continuous Improvement

Shoreditch Removals uses complaints and customer feedback to review our processes, staff training, and communication. Wherever practical, we will address any underlying issues identified through the complaints process to reduce the likelihood of similar problems occurring in future and to support consistent service across our operating area.