Storage Sipson Complaints Procedure
Storage Sipson is committed to delivering reliable storage and removals services and to resolving any concerns in a fair and timely manner. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a complaint, how we will handle it, and what you can expect at each stage of the process.
Purpose and Scope
This procedure applies to all customers who use our storage, removals and associated services. It covers concerns about our service quality, our handling of your property, our staff conduct, the accuracy of information provided, billing and charges, and our communication with you. It does not cover matters that are being pursued through legal action or insurance claims that are already in progress, although we will still cooperate with any relevant investigation or insurer.
Our Commitment to You
We aim to:
Listen carefully to your concerns and treat every complaint seriously.
Handle complaints politely, sensitively and without discrimination.
Investigate complaints thoroughly, considering all available evidence.
Respond within clear timeframes and keep you informed of progress.
Offer clear explanations, appropriate remedies where due, and use feedback to improve our services.
What We Class as a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our storage services, our removals work, or our customer service, where a response is expected. This may include issues such as delays, damage or loss of goods, missed appointments, staff behaviour, unclear or incorrect information, or concerns about how a previous query or complaint was handled.
How to Raise a Complaint
We encourage you to raise any concern as soon as possible, so that we can address it while information is still fresh and more easily verified.
Step 1: Initial Informal Resolution
In the first instance, you should raise the issue with the member of staff you have been dealing with, or with our on-site representative. Many concerns can be resolved quickly at this stage through clarification, an explanation of what has happened, or a practical solution such as rearranging a collection or delivery date.
Step 2: Making a Formal Complaint
If your concern is not resolved informally, or if you prefer to make a formal complaint straight away, you should put your complaint in writing. Please include your full name, service address or storage unit reference, relevant dates, a clear description of what went wrong, and what outcome you are seeking. The more detail you provide, the easier it is for us to investigate.
Acknowledgement and Timeframes
Once we receive your formal complaint, we will acknowledge it as soon as reasonably possible. In our acknowledgement, we will confirm that we have received your complaint, provide a reference for future contact, and outline the next steps, including an estimated timescale for our investigation and response.
We aim to provide a full written response within a reasonable time, taking into account the complexity of the issues raised, availability of staff involved, and the need to review any relevant records such as inventories, job sheets, or storage agreements.
How We Investigate Your Complaint
Our investigation may include reviewing your customer records, service agreements and move documentation, speaking to staff who handled your booking or attended your premises, examining any logs of communication, and reviewing any photographs, inventories, or condition reports. Where appropriate, we may ask you for further information or clarification, and we may request any evidence you hold, such as photographs of damage or copies of correspondence.
We aim to be objective and balanced. We will consider the terms and conditions of service, any applicable policies, and what is reasonable and fair in the circumstances.
Our Response and Possible Outcomes
When our investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written response setting out the outcome of our review. This will normally include a summary of your complaint, an outline of the investigation we carried out, our findings and conclusions, and any action we propose to take.
Depending on the nature of the complaint, possible outcomes may include an explanation or clarification, an apology, corrective action to put things right where possible, service improvements to help prevent a similar issue arising again, or signposting to any relevant insurance or dispute resolution options where applicable.
If You Remain Dissatisfied
If you are not satisfied with our final response, you may ask for your complaint to be reviewed internally at a higher level. This review will consider whether our original investigation was fair, whether our response properly addressed all points raised, and whether there is any further information that could change the outcome.
We will explain the result of this review to you in writing. If there are external avenues of escalation available in your circumstances, such as alternative dispute resolution, we will provide details where appropriate.
Recording and Using Complaints
We record complaints and their outcomes to help us monitor the quality of our storage and removals services. By reviewing complaint data, we can identify patterns, recurring issues and areas where staff training, process changes or additional safeguards may be needed. This helps us improve our service standards and reduce the likelihood of similar problems occurring in the future.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
All complaints will be handled in confidence and shared only with those who need the information in order to investigate and resolve the matter. Any personal data provided as part of a complaint will be processed in line with our data protection obligations and used only for the purpose of handling your complaint, managing our services and meeting any legal or regulatory requirements.
Availability of This Procedure
This Complaints Procedure is available to all customers who use our storage or removals services. You may request a copy at any time. We reserve the right to update or amend this procedure when necessary to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements or industry practice, and the version in force at the time you make your complaint will apply.
