Complaints About The Service

If you wish to complain about any aspect of the service, you can complain initially to the Duty Advice Session Supervisor who can be contacted on 01827 712 852.

If your complaint is not resolved at that stage, you can make a written complaint to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), North Warwickshire Citizens Advice, The Parish Rooms, Welcome Street, Atherstone CV9 1DU.

 

On receipt of the complaint the CEO will ensure that the complaint is investigated by the appropriate member of staff (usually the Deputy Chief Officer) and the is dealt with within 10 working days.

 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the investigation, or the way your complaint has been handled, you can write to: Chair of the Trustee Board, North Warwickshire Citizens Advice, The Parish Rooms, Welcome Street, Atherstone CV9 1DU.

 

On receipt of the complaint the Chair will investigate and respond to you within 10 working days.

 

A form can be issued to you to make your complaint by contacting the Duty Advice Session Supervisor.

 

All complaints and expressions of dissatisfaction will be monitored by the Chief Executive Officer/Trustee Board and the information used to help improve our service to the community.

 

Any complaints will be addressed using the Citizens Advice complaints procedure.

 

If you’re not happy with the response you receive or we do not respond, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to get involved. There is more information about the FOS on their website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/.

 

You need to contact them within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint (there are some exceptions to this rule).

 

Once the FOS has checked that your complaint is something they can help with, they will start to investigate. When they investigate your complaint they will:

    • ask us to provide information about your complaint.
      consider your perspective and supporting information.
    • weigh up the facts of what has happened, fairly and impartially.
    • Once the FOS have all the information they need, they will let you know their decision.

If the FOS think there has just been a misunderstanding – or you have not lost out financially – they will explain why. But if they decide you have been treated unfairly, they will tell the bureau to put things right. The FOS can resolve most complaints in this way.

 

If you or the bureau disagree with the initial assessment of your complaint, you (or the bureau) can ask for a final decision from FOS.

 

They will take a further look at the information presented to them and have the power to make legally binding final decisions. If you reject the Ombudsman’s final decision, they will not be able to take your complaint any further and you are able to take your case to court if you so wish.