Storage Friern Barnet Complaints Procedure
This Complaints Procedure explains how Storage Friern Barnet manages and resolves complaints about our storage and related removal services. We aim to provide a professional and reliable service to all customers, and we take any concerns raised about our conduct, facilities or service standards very seriously. This procedure applies to all customers using our storage units, removal and handling services, and associated support.
Our Commitment to You
We are committed to dealing with complaints in a fair, consistent and timely manner. Every complaint is an opportunity for us to understand what went wrong, put things right where possible, and improve our service for the future. We will handle your complaint confidentially and investigate it impartially, with the aim of giving you a clear explanation and, where appropriate, a suitable resolution.
What Counts as a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether oral or written, about the standard of service you have received or expected to receive from Storage Friern Barnet. This may include concerns relating to:
• Storage unit condition or suitability
• Handling of your belongings by our team or contracted removal crews
• Booking and scheduling of removals or storage access
• Charges, billing or payment terms
• Customer service or communication
• Health and safety standards on site
• Any other aspect of our storage or removal services
You do not have to use specific wording for it to be considered a complaint. If you tell us you are unhappy with our service and would like us to respond, we will treat it as a complaint.
Raising a Complaint
You can raise a complaint with us verbally in person at our site or in writing. If possible, we recommend making your complaint in writing so there is a clear record of the issues and the outcome you are seeking. When submitting a complaint, please include:
• Your full name
• Details of the service used, such as storage unit reference or removal booking details
• The date or dates when the issue occurred
• A clear description of what went wrong
• The impact the issue has had on you or your belongings
• Any steps you have already taken to try to resolve the matter
• What outcome or remedy you would consider fair
Raising your complaint as soon as possible after the issue occurs will help us investigate more effectively, particularly where it involves the condition or handling of stored or transported goods.
How We Will Handle Your Complaint
Stage 1: Initial review
Once we receive your complaint, we will log it and arrange for it to be reviewed by an appropriate member of staff. Where possible, we aim to acknowledge your complaint promptly and to resolve straightforward issues at this stage.
Stage 2: Investigation
If your complaint cannot be resolved immediately, it will be formally investigated. This may involve:
• Reviewing your storage or removal records
• Speaking with staff or any third-party removal partners involved
• Inspecting the relevant storage area if appropriate
• Reviewing any images, documentation or notes you provide
We will consider all the information available and reach a reasoned decision based on the facts.
Stage 3: Response
Once our investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written response. This will aim to:
• Summarise your complaint
• Explain what we have investigated
• Set out our findings
• Explain any steps we will take to put things right, if applicable
• Outline any changes we plan to make to avoid similar issues in future
If we find that we have made a mistake or fallen short of our standards, we will apologise and consider appropriate remedies, which may include corrective actions, service improvements, or other reasonable resolutions depending on the circumstances.
Timeframes
We aim to deal with all complaints as quickly as reasonably possible. The time required will depend on the complexity and nature of the issues raised, particularly where the complaint relates to removal arrangements, storage terms or alleged damage to goods. If we expect our investigation to take longer than usual, we will aim to keep you informed of progress and provide an estimated timescale for our final response.
If You Remain Dissatisfied
If you are not satisfied with our final response, you may request a further review, explaining why you remain unhappy and what additional information you believe has not been considered. A member of our management team not directly involved in the original investigation will, where practicable, review the complaint and our handling of it. Following this review, we will write to you again with our final position.
Our internal process is designed to ensure that complaints relating to storage conditions, handling of possessions, access arrangements, service quality and administrative matters associated with our removal and storage services are given full and fair consideration.
Recording and Using Complaint Information
We record complaints so that we can monitor patterns, identify any recurring issues and improve our services. Information from complaints may be used to guide staff training, operational changes, or updates to our policies and procedures, especially in areas related to the movement, storage and protection of customers property.
Personal information contained in complaints will be handled in line with our data protection obligations. We will keep your information secure and only share it where necessary to investigate or respond to your complaint, or where required by law.
Accessibility and Assistance
We want our complaints process to be accessible to all customers. If you need help to make a complaint, or you require information about this procedure in an alternative format, please let us know and we will do our best to assist. You may also ask someone to raise a complaint on your behalf, provided you give your permission for us to share relevant information with them.
Review of this Procedure
Storage Friern Barnet keeps this Complaints Procedure under regular review to ensure it remains clear, fair and effective for customers using our storage and removal-related services. We may update this procedure from time to time to reflect changes in our operations, best practice or legal requirements.
If you have any questions about this Complaints Procedure, or about how it applies to your particular situation, you can contact us using your usual method of communication with Storage Friern Barnet.
