Complaints procedure
How to make a complaint
We will aim to resolve your complaint at the first opportunity, but whenever this is not possible the council has a three stage complaints process.
Stage 1 - The first step is to contact the member of staff providing the service you want to complain about or you can contact their manager. Tell them the problem and they will try and sort it out. In many cases they will deal with your complaint on the spot.
If this does not happen, you can make a complaint by contacting the h&f InTouch team, they are a team of officers responsible for overseeing the council's complaints procedure and can provide with advice about making a complaint. Once your complaint has been recorded, a response will be sent within 15 working days.
Stage 2 - If you are not satisfied with the response you received at Stage 1, you should write to the h&f InTouch team and explain why. The response you received at Stage 1 will explain how to do this. The h&f InTouch team will then consider your complaint and make a decision whether it will be recorded at Stage 2.
If your complaint is recorded at Stage 2, a senior member of staff will then investigate your complaint and a response will be sent within 20 working days. If you complaint is not recorded at Stage 2, the h&f InTouch team will explain why.
Stage 3 - If you are still not satisfied with the response you received at Stage 2, you should write to the h&f InTouch team and explain why. Your complaint will be given to the Corporate Complaints Manager, who investigates complaints on behalf of the council's Chief Executive. The response you received at Stage 2 will explain how to do this.
The Corporate Complaints Manager will then consider your complaint and make a decision whether it will be recorded at Stage 3. If your complaint is recorded at Stage 3, the Corporate Complaints Manager will investigate your complaint and a response will be sent within 20 working days. If you complaint is not recorded at Stage 3, the Corporate Complaints Manager will explain why.
The h&f InTouch team
If you would like to contact the h&f InTouch team, you can write to: h&f InTouch team, Room 229, Hammersmith Town Hall, King Street, London W6 9JU. Alternatively, you can telephone: 020 8753 2456, or email: h&fintouch@lbhf.gov.uk
The h&f InTouch team would welcome your thoughts on the complaints procedure. If you would like to give us your feedback please click here to complete our survey.
Education and social care complaints
The law requires us to deal with some complaints about social care services, services for children and schools in a slightly different way. For more detailed information see:
» Adult social care complaints
» Services for Children complaints
» School complaints procedure
Requests for service
The complaints process is not to be used if you simply disagree with a decision made by the council. This applies particularly to decisions such as planning applications, housing and council tax benefit and also parking tickets. Please visit the relevant pages on this website linked below.
Page last updated: 28/07/2011
