Complaints Procedure

Gardeners Blackfriars Complaints Procedure

Gardeners Blackfriars is committed to providing reliable, professional gardening services and to treating all customers fairly and with respect. We recognise that sometimes things can go wrong, and when they do, we want to know about it so we can put matters right and improve our service. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will handle it, and what you can expect from us at each stage.

Our commitment to you

We take every complaint seriously and will always aim to resolve issues as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our key commitments are to:

Listen carefully to your concerns about our gardening or related services.

Treat you with courtesy, respect and professionalism at all times.

Investigate complaints thoroughly and impartially.

Provide a clear response with an explanation of any decisions made.

Use feedback to review and improve our services, processes and staff training.

What counts as a complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our gardening services, customer service, staff conduct, scheduling or communication where you expect a response or resolution. This may include, for example:

Concerns about the quality or outcome of garden maintenance or one-off projects.

Issues with how appointments were arranged, changed or cancelled.

Concerns about the behaviour, attitude or conduct of any member of our team.

Problems with documentation, quotes, invoices or payment arrangements.

Any situation where you feel we have not met our stated standards or your reasonable expectations.

How to make a complaint

You can raise a complaint in the way that is most convenient for you. You may contact us verbally, for example by speaking to one of our gardeners on site or by contacting our office, or you may write to us. When raising a complaint, please provide as much detail as you can, including:

Your full name and how you would like us to contact you.

The address or location where we carried out the gardening work.

The date or approximate dates when the issue occurred.

A clear description of what went wrong and how it has affected you.

Any steps you have already taken to address the issue with our staff.

Any supporting information that may help us understand the situation.

Providing full details from the outset helps us investigate more quickly and thoroughly.

Stage 1: Informal resolution

In many cases, complaints can be resolved quickly and informally. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to raise the issue with the gardener on site or with the relevant contact at our office as soon as possible.

Where appropriate, we will aim to resolve the matter immediately or within a short time frame by:

Clarifying any misunderstandings about the work agreed.

Arranging for a gardener to revisit and rectify issues where reasonable.

Reviewing scheduling or access arrangements to prevent recurrence.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of this informal approach, you may ask for your complaint to be handled formally under Stage 2.

Stage 2: Formal complaint and investigation

If an issue cannot be resolved informally, or you prefer a formal review, your complaint will be logged and handled by a manager or other designated person. At this stage we will:

Acknowledge your complaint and confirm that it is being treated as a formal complaint.

Review any previous communication or attempts to resolve the issue.

Gather relevant information, which may include speaking to staff, reviewing notes, work records and any photographs before and after gardening work.

Assess what went wrong and what action is appropriate to resolve the matter.

We aim to provide a written or clearly communicated response within a reasonable timeframe. If the investigation is likely to take longer, we will let you know and keep you updated on progress.

Our response and possible outcomes

Once our investigation is complete, we will explain our findings and any decisions or actions we propose to take. Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

Offering an apology and explanation.

Carrying out additional gardening work to correct issues, where reasonable.

Reviewing or adjusting charges where appropriate.

Taking internal measures, such as additional training or changes to procedures, to prevent similar issues in future.

We will always aim to reach an outcome that is fair and proportionate, and that reflects the nature of the complaint and any impact on you.

If you remain dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with our formal response, you may request that your complaint is reviewed again by a more senior person within Gardeners Blackfriars, where available. They will consider whether the complaint has been handled fairly and whether the outcome is reasonable in the circumstances.

We will then provide a final response setting out our position. At this point, if you still feel your concerns have not been addressed, you may wish to seek independent advice about any further steps that may be open to you.

Recording and using complaint information

We keep a record of complaints, including the nature of the issue and how it was resolved. These records help us to identify patterns, improve our gardening services and ensure that our staff receive any necessary guidance or training.

Any personal information you provide in connection with a complaint will be handled in line with our data protection obligations. We will only use your details for the purpose of handling your complaint, improving our services and meeting any legal requirements.

Continuous improvement

Feedback from our customers is vital in helping us maintain and improve the quality of our gardening services. We welcome your comments, whether positive or negative, as they provide us with an opportunity to learn, adapt and ensure that Gardeners Blackfriars continues to deliver a high standard of care and attention to every outdoor space we look after.