complaints policy
TSIP is committed to providing the best possible service to the community members we serve, our partners and clients, and we continually strive to listen to your feedback actively. While we aim to meet your expectations consistently, we acknowledge that there will be occasions when you are dissatisfied with certain aspects of our services.
This Policy has been created to make it easier for you to tell us when you encounter any issues or have comments you wish to make about TSIP.
THE PURPOSE OF OUR COMPLAINTS POLICY
This policy aims to set out TSIP’s approach to receiving and dealing with complaints, how to make a complaint, what you can expect from TSIP when you do so, and how to escalate a complaint if you are unhappy with the outcome. This policy applies to all areas of TSIP’s activities. Rest assured that all complaints will be handled with the utmost seriousness and that you will be treated with respect and consideration throughout the entire complaints process.
OUR APPROACH TO COMPLAINTS
We are sorry if you’re unhappy with anything to do with TSIP. While TSIP is committed to operating to the highest standards, we recognise there may be times when you feel that we do not achieve the level of service or that the behaviours of our staff, non-executive directors or those acting on our behalf are not to the standard you expect. If you have a complaint, please let us know so we can try and help.
We take all complaints seriously and will contact you as soon as possible once you’ve told us your concern. This policy reflects our commitment to ensuring effective and transparent procedures for fair and efficient complaints handling.
Please be assured that making a complaint will not affect your chances of partnering with TSIP or the level of service you receive from us. We will keep all complaints confidential to the extent possible, subject to the need to disclose information necessarily as part of any investigation due to legal obligations placed on us. If you make a complaint, we will treat you respectfully, and we expect you to treat our staff the same way.
WHAT IS A COMPLAINT?
Complaints can range from dissatisfaction to something that is the cause or subject of protest or outcry, mishandling of personal data, to an allegation concerning TSIP.
If you have a concern or issue that you do not consider amounts to a complaint, as defined above, we still want to hear from you. Please discuss the matter informally with any TSIP staff member as soon as possible so that this can be addressed early.
This policy is not for use about complaints from TSIP’s staff (such as cases of bullying or harassment), which are dealt with by TSIP’s internal grievance policy.
In addition to reporting any complaints directly to TSIP, if your complaint relates to actual or suspected criminal activity or raises a serious safeguarding concern that threatens a person’s life or well-being, please report this to the police.
HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT
How do I make an informal complaint?
If you have a problem, the first step is to talk to a member of the staff team at TSIP. If your issue involves a specific team member, you can raise it to their manager instead. When you raise the issue, you should make clear:
Exactly what the issue is
How long the issue has been going on
Whether anyone else, to your knowledge, has a similar issue
If any members of the team have contributed to the issue
If you have taken any action to try to resolve the issue
The person you raise the issue with should let you know how and when they plan to follow up and invite you to share your ideas on resolving it. We hope that most issues will be determined and resolved at this stage.
How do I make a formal complaint?
If you are still waiting for our response or the issue keeps recurring, or you are not happy with the response you have received during the informal stage, you should use the formal procedure to log your complaint.
If you would like to make a formal complaint, email is the best way to do this. You can contact us at complaints@tsip.co.uk.
To help us investigate your complaint effectively, please set out the facts in as much detail as you can, as clearly as possible. In particular, please tell us:
Exactly what your issue is
How long the issue has been going on
If you know anyone else who feels the same way
If any members of the team have contributed to the issue
If you have taken any action to try to resolve the issue
When you first discussed the issue with a member of the team
Any follow-up that’s happened since you’ve raised the issue
What you think needs to be done to solve the problem
What will happen after I complain?
We take complaints seriously, and all complaints will be investigated. We will act in response to any failures identified by the complaint or investigation, if applicable.
We aim to respond to your complaint within 10 business days of receiving it.
During that time, we will schedule a meeting to discuss a possible solution. The aim of the meeting should be to agree on a resolution that will resolve the issue to your satisfaction. You have the right to be accompanied at this meeting.
Following the meeting, within 2 business days, the person you met with should email you to confirm the possible solution discussed and how and when they plan to follow up.
If we have been able to resolve the complaint within that time, we shall include details of this and shall treat the matter as closed.
If a complaint requires further investigation, we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and set out who will be dealing with it and their contact details (the “Complaint Lead”).
The Complaint Lead will investigate your complaint competently, diligently, and impartially. They may need to speak to you further to gather additional information necessary to assess your complaint. They will consider the subject matter of the complaint, whether it should be upheld, and, if so, what remedial action or redress TSIP may deem appropriate.
The Complaint Lead will usually advise you of their findings and TSIP’s conclusion within 30 days of the acknowledgement of receipt of your complaint. If we cannot give a definitive response within that timeframe, for example, because an investigation has not been completed. In that case, we will send a progress report indicating when a full reply will be given.
You will be given the contact details of a more Senior Manager to whom you can appeal.
If I am dissatisfied, can I appeal?
If you are dissatisfied with the proposed solution, or if it needs to be actioned promptly, you can appeal the decision to a more senior manager.
Your appeal should be submitted in writing, and state why you feel the issue still needs to be resolved and what an acceptable solution would look like. At this time, you should also submit all written correspondence relating to the issue.
What will happen after I appeal?
The person you send the appeal to should acknowledge your appeal and schedule an appeal meeting within five working days. You have the right to be accompanied. You should receive written notice of the appeal decision within five working days of the meeting. This decision is final.
What if I am dissatisfied after the appeal?
The appeal stage is final.
Last updated: 2023-09-23