Barnes Carpet Cleaners Complaints Procedure
At Barnes Carpet Cleaners, we aim to provide reliable, professional carpet and upholstery cleaning services across our service area. We recognise that, on occasion, customers may feel that our service has not met their expectations. This Complaints Procedure sets out how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and the steps we take to put matters right wherever reasonably possible.
Purpose of this Complaints Procedure
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and promptly. It is designed to:
Explain how you can make a complaint about our cleaning services or conduct.
Describe what information we need from you to investigate properly.
Set out the timescales in which we aim to respond.
Clarify how we will keep you informed and what outcomes you can expect.
This procedure applies to all domestic and commercial customers of Barnes Carpet Cleaners.
What We Class as a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction from a customer about our carpet, rug, upholstery or other cleaning services, or about the behaviour of our staff or contractors, where a response or resolution is expected or required.
Examples of complaints may include:
Concerns about the quality or completeness of a clean.
Damage alleged to have occurred during a visit.
Missed or significantly delayed appointments without adequate notice.
Perceived unprofessional, discourteous or unsafe conduct.
Disagreements over charges where you believe you have been incorrectly billed.
We differentiate complaints from general feedback or routine queries, although we welcome both and use them to improve our service.
How to Make a Complaint
You can raise a complaint verbally or in writing. We recommend submitting your complaint in writing where possible, as this allows us to keep a clear record and helps avoid misunderstandings.
When making a complaint, please provide as much detail as you can, including:
Your name and the address where the cleaning took place.
The date of the service and, if known, the approximate time and the name of the operative.
A clear description of what went wrong and how this has affected you.
Any relevant photographs, invoices, or other supporting information.
What you would consider to be a fair resolution.
If you require assistance to make a complaint, for example due to language or accessibility needs, please let us know and we will do our best to support you.
Our Initial Response
Upon receiving your complaint, we will acknowledge it as soon as reasonably practical. For written complaints, we will usually provide acknowledgement within a few working days. In our acknowledgement, we will:
Confirm that we have received your complaint.
Provide the name or role of the person responsible for handling it.
Outline the next steps and an estimated timescale for our investigation.
If we require further information from you to fully understand the issue, we may contact you to clarify details or request additional evidence.
Investigation Process
All complaints are investigated promptly and impartially. Depending on the nature of the complaint, our investigation may include:
Reviewing job records, booking details and any relevant notes.
Speaking to the operative or team who carried out the work.
Examining photographs, checklists, or condition reports from before and after the visit, where available.
Arranging a follow-up inspection of the property or items cleaned, where appropriate and with your agreement.
Assessing whether our internal standards and procedures were followed, including health and safety requirements.
We aim to complete most investigations within a reasonable period, but complex issues may require additional time. If our investigation is likely to take longer than originally indicated, we will keep you updated.
Outcomes and Resolutions
Once our investigation is complete, we will explain our findings and any conclusions we have reached. Where a complaint is upheld in full or in part, possible outcomes may include:
A repeat or corrective clean at no additional cost, where practical and appropriate.
A partial or full refund of the cleaning charges, where justified.
Offering a discount on a future service as a gesture of goodwill.
Providing advice or aftercare guidance to address remaining concerns.
Implementing additional training, supervision or procedural changes to prevent recurrence.
If we do not uphold your complaint, we will set out clearly the reasons for our decision, based on the evidence available. We aim to be open and transparent, even where our findings do not align with your expectations.
Follow-up and Escalation
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint or feel that it has not been handled in line with this procedure, you may request that your case be reviewed at a higher level within Barnes Carpet Cleaners. When asking for a review, please explain why you disagree with the initial decision and provide any new information that you believe is relevant.
The review will focus on whether the complaint was investigated fairly and thoroughly, and whether our decision and any proposed resolution were reasonable in the circumstances. After the review, we will inform you of our final position and the reasons for it.
Time Limits for Raising a Complaint
We ask that you raise any concerns about a cleaning visit as soon as reasonably possible, and ideally within a short period after the service has taken place. This helps us to investigate effectively while details are still recent and, where necessary, to inspect the property or items while conditions remain similar.
In some cases, delays in making a complaint may limit the options available for resolution, particularly where further use, wear, or external factors may have changed the condition of carpets or upholstery since our visit.
Our Commitment to Continuous Improvement
All complaints are recorded and reviewed periodically to identify patterns and areas where our service can be improved. This may include refresher training for cleaning operatives, updates to our cleaning techniques, or adjustments to our booking and communication processes.
By following this Complaints Procedure, we aim to ensure that every concern raised is treated with respect, investigated fairly, and used as an opportunity to enhance the standard of service we provide throughout our working area.