Storage St Johns Complaints Procedure
Storage St Johns is committed to providing a reliable, professional and courteous service for storage and removal customers. We recognise that, on occasion, things may go wrong. When this happens, we want to know about it so we can put matters right and improve our services. This complaints procedure explains how you can raise a concern, what you can expect from us, and how we will work with you toward a fair outcome.
Purpose of This Procedure
The purpose of this complaints procedure is to provide a clear and accessible process for customers to follow if they are dissatisfied with any aspect of our storage or removal services. It applies to all customers who use Storage St Johns for moving, handling, transport or storage of goods. Our goal is to deal with complaints promptly, fairly and consistently.
What Counts as a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our service, whether it is justified or not. This may include, but is not limited to, concerns about the quality of storage facilities, condition or handling of items during removal and transport, punctuality, conduct of staff, communication, administration or billing issues, or any problem where you feel that we have not met our agreed standards or your reasonable expectations.
We encourage you to raise any concern as soon as possible, so that we have the best opportunity to investigate and resolve the situation efficiently.
How to Make a Complaint
You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. While we will accept complaints made by any reasonable method, we recommend submitting your complaint in writing so that there is a clear record of your concerns and the details you provide.
When you contact us to complain, please include or provide the following information where possible:
The name the booking or storage agreement is under, the date of your move or the period of storage, a brief description of the service provided, a clear explanation of what went wrong or why you are dissatisfied, any relevant reference numbers or documentation you may have, and the outcome you are seeking, such as an explanation, apology, corrective action or review of charges.
If you make a complaint verbally, a member of our team will record the details you provide and may ask additional questions to ensure we fully understand your concerns.
Our Complaints Handling Stages
Stage 1: Initial Review and Acknowledgement
Once your complaint is received, we will log it in our internal complaints register. We will acknowledge your complaint within a reasonable time frame and explain the next steps in the process. At this stage, we may contact you to request further information or clarification where necessary.
Stage 2: Investigation
Your complaint will be investigated by an appropriate member of our team, who may review booking information, inventory lists, photographs, delivery reports, staff statements, correspondence and any other relevant records. For complaints about removal services, we may also review route details, timings and handling notes.
During this stage, we may contact you to discuss your complaint in more detail and to ensure that we have a full understanding of the events from your perspective. We aim to carry out the investigation as promptly as reasonably possible, taking into account the complexity of the issues raised.
Stage 3: Response and Outcome
After we complete our investigation, we will provide you with a written response that sets out our understanding of your complaint, the steps we have taken to look into the matter, our findings and any actions we propose to take. Possible outcomes may include an explanation, an apology, corrective action or service improvement measures, or where appropriate, a review of fees or other practical remedies.
If we are unable to fully resolve your complaint within a reasonable period, we will update you on the progress and explain the reasons for any delay.
Stage 4: Escalation
If you are not satisfied with our response at Stage 3, you may request that your complaint be reviewed by a senior member of our management team. When you ask for escalation, please explain which aspects of our response you disagree with and why you feel that further review is necessary.
The senior reviewer will reassess the information already gathered and may request additional details from you or from staff involved. Once the review is complete, we will provide a final internal response, confirming whether our original decision is upheld or amended and, where applicable, any further actions we will take.
Timescales
We aim to acknowledge complaints promptly, normally within a few working days. We aim to complete our initial investigation and provide a full response within a reasonable period. The exact timescale will depend on the nature and complexity of the complaint, especially for issues involving multiple services, third party carriers or extensive documentation.
If we anticipate that our investigation will take longer than usual, we will let you know and provide an indication of when you can expect a further update or final response.
Fairness and Confidentiality
All complaints are handled fairly, consistently and without discrimination. We treat all information you provide as confidential and share it only with those who need to see it for the purpose of investigating and resolving your complaint. We also expect customers to communicate with our staff in a respectful and constructive manner throughout the complaints process.
Continuous Improvement
We use information from complaints and customer feedback to review and improve our storage and removal services. This may include changes to procedures, staff training, communication practices or customer information. By telling us when something has gone wrong, you help us to improve the experience for all our customers.
Alternative Steps
While we aim to resolve complaints directly and constructively, customers remain free to seek independent advice regarding their rights in relation to storage or removal services. However, we encourage you to allow our internal procedure to run its course, as many concerns can be resolved quickly and amicably once we are made aware of them.
Summary
Storage St Johns takes complaints seriously and welcomes the opportunity to address any concerns you may have about our storage or removal services. By following this complaints procedure, you help us to investigate the issue thoroughly and work with you toward a fair and timely resolution.
