Storage Honor Oak Complaints Procedure
Storage Honor Oak is committed to providing reliable storage and removal services and to dealing with any concerns in a fair, transparent and timely manner. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a complaint, how we handle it, and what you can do if you are not satisfied with our response.
Purpose of this Complaints Procedure
The purpose of this procedure is to provide a straightforward process for customers to raise issues about our storage and removal services. It ensures that complaints are taken seriously, investigated properly and used to improve how we operate. This procedure applies to all customers who use our services, including storage, packing, handling and removals.
What We Class as a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services, whether reasonable or not, where you are seeking a response or resolution. This may include concerns about:
Service quality or reliability in storage or removals
Condition, handling or security of items in our care
Conduct, attitude or professionalism of our team
Booking, scheduling or communication issues
Charges, invoicing, or clarity of information provided
If you tell us about a problem and you would like it formally investigated, it will be treated as a complaint under this procedure.
How to Make a Complaint
You can raise a complaint in writing or by speaking with us. Written complaints help us keep a clear record of the issue and our responses. Please provide:
Your full name and any relevant reference details
A clear description of what happened and when
Where applicable, details of any staff or vehicles involved
Any supporting information that may help us investigate
What outcome or resolution you are seeking
We encourage you to raise your complaint as soon as possible after the issue arises so that we can investigate while events are still recent.
Our Complaints Handling Stages
Stage 1: Initial Review and Acknowledgement
Once we receive your complaint, we will log it and carry out an initial review. We aim to acknowledge your complaint within a reasonable timeframe. In our acknowledgement we will confirm that we have received your complaint and give you an indication of the next steps and expected timescales.
Stage 2: Investigation
Your complaint will be passed to an appropriate member of our management team who is not directly involved in the situation you are complaining about where possible. They may:
Review booking and service records
Speak to the staff members concerned
Check any available notes or documentation
Assess any relevant risks or service standards
We aim to complete our investigation and issue a response as promptly as we reasonably can. If the issue is complex and we require more time, we will let you know and provide an updated timescale.
Stage 3: Response and Proposed Resolution
After we have investigated your complaint, we will write to you with our findings. Our response will usually include:
A summary of your complaint as we understand it
The steps we took to investigate
Our decision and the reasons for it
Any proposed actions or remedies
Where appropriate, our resolution may include an apology, an explanation, corrective action, or other proportionate remedies in line with our obligations and service terms.
Stage 4: Escalation If You Remain Dissatisfied
If you are not satisfied with the outcome at Stage 3, you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed at a higher level of management. When requesting an escalation, please explain why you disagree with our response and what you believe would be a fair outcome.
The escalated review will consider whether the complaint has been handled in line with this procedure and whether the decision reached was reasonable in light of the information available.
Timescales
We aim to deal with complaints as quickly as reasonably possible. Actual timescales may vary depending on the complexity of the issues, the availability of information and the nature of the services provided, particularly where removal dates, third party arrangements or storage schedules are involved. If delays occur, we will keep you informed.
Our Approach to Fairness and Respect
We treat all complaints seriously and will handle them in a respectful and non-discriminatory manner. We expect the same courtesy and respect from customers when contacting us. We may decline to engage further if a complaint becomes abusive, threatening or clearly unreasonable, but this will not affect any statutory rights you may have.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
Information you provide in connection with a complaint will be handled in line with applicable data protection requirements. We will only share your information internally on a need-to-know basis so we can investigate and respond. We will retain complaint records for an appropriate period for audit, training and service improvement.
Learning from Complaints
We use the feedback from complaints to improve our storage and removal services. We may review our internal processes, staff training, customer communication and service standards in light of issues raised. Regular review of complaints helps us to reduce the likelihood of similar problems occurring in the future.
Other Rights and Further Action
This Complaints Procedure is intended to help resolve concerns directly with Storage Honor Oak. It does not limit or replace any legal rights you may have. You may choose to seek independent advice at any stage. If your complaint relates to matters covered by specific consumer protection laws or contractual terms, those rights remain fully in place alongside this procedure.
Review of This Procedure
We may update this Complaints Procedure from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements or best practice in the storage and removals sector. The version published on our legal or policy pages will be the most current and will apply to new complaints from the date of publication.
