Feedback & Complaints

Name: Plymouth Energy Community (PEC)
Price range: $

Customer Feedback & Complaints Policy and Procedure

Introduction

We always aim to provide a high standard of care in all our services. Our customers views are important to us and help to ensure our services are consistently meeting people’s needs. If you are unhappy with any of our services it is important that you let us know.

Purpose

This policy outlines our approach to dealing with customer complaints and comments.

We aim to provide a high-quality service at all times. Customers generally accept that on occasion things do go wrong but expect that something will be done to put them right. We are committed to providing a quick and accessible complaints procedure. Plymouth Energy Community understands that it is important to learn from mistakes. It uses complaints to make improvements to services and reduce the likelihood of the same mistakes being repeated. We also encourage customer comments and compliments on our services. This also assists us in improving services and providing positive feedback to staff.

Definition

A complaint is defined as:

‘Any dissatisfaction with Plymouth Energy Community, whether justified or not’.

In terms of our complaints policy, this can be:

‘any expression of dissatisfaction – either verbally or in writing - by one or more of our customers, or by a person representing or making a complaint on a customers’ behalf’, about

A failure of a service that we provide
A failure to meet expected standards
The way in which we have handled an incident or request (or not done so)
Unhelpful staff or contractors
Incorrect information provided

This list is not exhaustive.

Making a suggestion or providing feedback

Often people feel more comfortable about suggesting improvements rather than complaining formally. Members, anyone receiving services, and their friends/ family, may make a suggestion.

First you should speak to a Manager. If the suggestion is something that Plymouth Energy Community as a company needs to consider you can send it to:

Chief Executive

Plymouth Energy Community

Ballard House

West Hoe Road

Plymouth PL1 3BJ

support@plymouthenergycommunity.com

Making a complaint

We aim to handle complaints quickly, effectively and in a fair and honest way. We take all complaints seriously and use valuable information from investigating to help us improve the services we provide. We treat all complaints in confidence.

Plymouth Energy Community assures clients and their families that it will not withdraw or reduce services because someone makes a complaint in good faith.

Who can complain?

Anyone affected by the way Plymouth Energy Community provides services can make a complaint. A representative may complain for the affected person if they:

cannot make a complaint themselves, or
have given consent for the representative to act on their behalf

If you are not happy about making a complaint yourself and you do not know someone who can talk or write to us on your behalf, we will be happy to find someone from an independent organisation to act as an advocate for you.

How you can make a complaint

You should clearly state your need to make a formal complaint (rather than a suggestion), and identify the issue that you are unhappy with. You can complain:

in person at an appointed time
by telephone
by letter
by email
through an advocate or representative

Customers are encouraged to bring a problem to the attention of the relevant member of staff or department immediately. This provides us with the opportunity to resolve mistakes or misunderstanding quickly in the course of our day-to-day management

Complaints could be lodged in person or through any of our current points of contact as shown on our website.

Anonymous complaints

We deal with anonymous complaints under the same procedure; however, it is better if you can provide contact details so we can tell you the outcome of our investigation.

Responsibility

The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for dealing with complaints made about their services. We will provide as far as is reasonably practical:

any help you need to understand the complaints procedure; or
advice on where you may get that help.

How we handle complaints

Plymouth Energy Community may ask one of the management team to investigate the complaint. That person will have enough seniority and experience to deal with the issues raised by the complaint.

We will acknowledge a complaint within 3 working days and give you the name and contact details of the person investigating it. We will keep you informed about the progress of the investigation. We aim to have all complaints finished within 10 working days unless we agree a different time scale with you.

When we have finished investigating, we can arrange to meet with you to discuss the outcome or write to you with:

details of the findings;
any action we have taken; and
our proposals to resolve your complaint.

Time limits

You should complain as soon as you can after the date on which the event occurred or came to your notice. If you complain more than six months later, we may not be able to investigate properly. But we shall also consider whether you had good reason for not making the complaint sooner and whether, despite the delay, it is still possible to investigate the complaint effectively and fairly.

Further steps

If you are not happy with the outcome of the complaint investigation, or how the issue was dealt with u you can raise your concern with Chair of the Board at: