Complaints Procedure

Waterloo Man and Van Complaints Procedure

Waterloo Man and Van is committed to providing a reliable and professional removal service. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. This complaints procedure explains how you can raise a concern about our services, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us at each stage.

1. Purpose and Scope

This complaints procedure applies to all customers who use Waterloo Man and Van for removals, man and van services, loading, unloading, packing assistance, or related transport activities. It covers issues such as service quality, communication, conduct of staff, damage to property or belongings, delays, and billing concerns.

We use all complaints and feedback to improve the way we plan moves, handle belongings, and communicate throughout the removal process.

2. What We Class as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services or the way they were delivered, where you expect a response or resolution. This can include, for example:

Poor handling of items, missing goods or suspected loss, delays or non-arrival of a vehicle, unexpected charges or unclear pricing, unprofessional behaviour or attitude, or failure to follow agreed instructions relating to your move.

You do not need to use the word complaint for us to treat your concern formally. If you tell us you are unhappy and want the matter looked into, we will follow this procedure.

3. How to Make a Complaint

You may raise a complaint in writing. Written complaints help ensure we capture all the details accurately and can review them thoroughly with the team involved in your move. Please include:

Your full name and, if applicable, booking reference, the date of your move or the date you received the service, a clear description of what went wrong, including times and locations where possible, details of any items you believe were damaged or lost, and what you are seeking as an outcome, such as an apology, explanation, or compensation review.

If you need help setting out your complaint, you can contact us in advance so we can explain what information will be most useful to our investigation.

4. Time Limits for Raising a Complaint

We ask that complaints are raised as soon as reasonably possible so that we can investigate effectively. As a guide:

Concerns about service quality or staff conduct should be raised within 14 days of the move. Concerns involving alleged damage or loss of items should be raised within 7 days of the move, wherever possible. This helps us check job records, schedules, and any relevant images or notes taken by our team during your removal.

We may still look into complaints brought after these times, but the longer the delay, the harder it may be to gather evidence and provide a detailed response.

5. How We Handle Your Complaint

Once we receive your complaint, we will follow a structured process:

First acknowledgement. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and confirm that we are reviewing it. This will usually be within five working days of receiving your written complaint.

Appointment of a handler. A member of our management team, not directly involved in the original issue where possible, will be assigned to review your case. They may contact you if they need more information.

Investigation. We will examine booking records, job sheets, vehicle logs, staff statements, and any photographs or notes made during the move. Where the concern relates to damage or loss, we may ask for photographs, purchase details, or other evidence to help us assess the situation.

Outcome and response. Once our investigation is complete, we will provide a written response setting out what we have found, whether your complaint is upheld in full or in part, and any steps we propose to put things right.

6. Timescales for Our Response

We aim to complete our investigation and provide a full written response within 28 days of acknowledging your complaint. If the matter is complex, or if we are waiting for additional information from you or third parties, it may take longer.

If we need more time, we will let you know before the end of the 28-day period, explain the reasons for the delay, and give you an updated estimate of when you can expect a final response.

7. Possible Outcomes and Remedies

Depending on the nature of the complaint and the outcome of our investigation, we may offer one or more of the following:

An explanation of what happened and why, an apology where we have fallen short of our standards, corrective action such as staff training or changes to our internal procedures, a review of any charges applied, and where appropriate and in line with our terms and conditions and applicable law, a proposal to compensate for proven loss or damage.

Any remedy will take into account the specific circumstances of your move, the evidence available, and any agreed terms that applied to the service.

8. If You Are Unhappy With Our Response

If you are not satisfied with our final response, you may ask for a further review by a senior member of our management team. This request should clearly set out which parts of our response you disagree with and why.

The senior reviewer will look again at the complaint, the investigation, and the outcome. They may uphold the original decision, change it, or ask for further enquiries before deciding. We will then write to you with our final position on the matter.

9. Using Complaints to Improve Our Service

We take all complaints seriously and treat them as an important source of feedback. As a removal business handling personal belongings and valuable items, we continuously review our procedures in areas such as packing, loading, vehicle routing, and customer communication.

Where a complaint reveals a pattern or a recurring issue, we may introduce additional staff training, adjust our scheduling practices, update our terms and conditions for greater clarity, or make other operational changes to reduce the risk of similar problems in the future.

10. Confidentiality and Data Protection

All complaints are handled confidentially. Information you provide will be shared only with those who need it to investigate and respond to your complaint, or where we are required to share it by law. We will store and process your personal data in line with our data protection obligations and for no longer than is necessary for the purposes of handling your complaint and meeting our legal responsibilities.

By following this complaints procedure, Waterloo Man and Van aims to deal with any concerns in a fair, timely, and transparent way, while maintaining the standards expected from a professional removal service.