Sutton Man and Van Complaints Procedure

This Complaints Procedure explains how Sutton Man and Van manages and resolves complaints about our man and van and removal services. We aim to handle all concerns fairly, transparently and as quickly as possible, while using your feedback to improve our service.

Our commitment to you

We understand that moving home or business premises can be stressful, and issues may occasionally arise despite careful planning. When you raise a complaint, we will listen carefully, investigate thoroughly and aim to put things right wherever we reasonably can.

Our key commitments are to acknowledge your concerns promptly, treat you with courtesy and respect, give you a clear explanation of what happened, and offer an appropriate resolution where the complaint is upheld.

What is a complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about the standard of our service, the conduct of our staff or contractors, the handling of your belongings, or the accuracy of information or charges, where you would like a response or resolution.

Examples of complaints include concerns about punctuality or reliability of a booked move, handling or protection of items during loading, transport, or unloading, customer service or communication before, during, or after the job, the final cost compared with the estimate or quotation, or any aspect of our man and van or removal service that you believe fell below your reasonable expectations.

How to raise a complaint

If you are unhappy with any part of our service, we encourage you to speak to us as soon as possible. Many concerns can be resolved quickly if raised at the time of the move.

You can raise a complaint by contacting us and providing your full name, the date of your move or booking reference, a clear description of what went wrong, when it occurred and the people involved, and any evidence that may help us understand the issue, such as photographs or an inventory list.

We ask that complaints are raised within a reasonable time after the event so that we can investigate effectively. Where possible, please provide factual detail and avoid including sensitive information that is not relevant to your complaint.

Stage one: Initial review and response

Once we receive your complaint, we will record it in our internal system and begin an initial review. We will normally acknowledge your complaint within a reasonable period of time. In our acknowledgement, we will confirm that we have received your concerns and outline the next steps we will take to investigate.

During the initial review we may contact you if we need more information or clarification. We may also speak to the team members who were involved in your move, review job notes and booking details, and consider any supporting evidence you have provided.

After this review, we will send you an initial response explaining our understanding of the complaint, the findings of our investigation so far, and any immediate actions we propose to take. Where the complaint is upheld, we will explain how we plan to put things right.

Stage two: Further investigation and resolution

If your complaint is more complex, involves potential loss or damage, or cannot be resolved at the first stage, we will carry out a more detailed investigation. This may involve further discussions with you, site visits where appropriate, or requests for additional information.

We will aim to provide a full written outcome once our investigation is complete. In this response, we will summarise the complaint, explain what we have investigated, provide a clear explanation of our findings and any factors we have taken into account, and set out any resolution we can offer.

Possible outcomes may include an apology and explanation, corrective action such as staff training or process changes, a gesture of goodwill where appropriate, or, where our terms and conditions provide for it and liability is established, a financial settlement up to any applicable limits.

If you remain dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with the outcome at Stage Two, you may ask us to review your complaint again. In your request, please explain why you remain unhappy and what you would like us to reconsider. We will then arrange for a senior member of our team, who has not previously handled your complaint, to review the case. They will consider the original complaint, the way it was handled and the decision reached, and will provide a final response.

Once our final response has been issued, our internal complaints process will normally be regarded as complete. Any further steps available to you, such as referring a dispute to an external body where applicable, will depend on the circumstances of the complaint and the contractual terms that apply to your booking.

Complaints involving loss or damage

If your complaint relates to alleged loss of or damage to your belongings during a removal or man and van service, we may request photographs of the items, details of their age and condition, and any proof of purchase or valuation that you have available. We may also ask you to confirm when you first became aware of the issue and whether it was noted on any delivery or completion paperwork.

All claims of this nature will be assessed in line with our terms and conditions and any applicable insurance arrangements. It is important that you notify us of any such issues as soon as reasonably possible after the service so that we can investigate in a timely and fair manner.

Timeframes

We aim to acknowledge complaints within a reasonable time and to provide a full response as promptly as the complexity of the matter allows. More straightforward complaints may be resolved within a short period, while those involving disputes over loss, damage or charges may take longer.

If we anticipate that our investigation will take longer than usual, we will try to keep you informed of the progress and let you know when you can expect a further update or outcome.

Confidentiality and data protection

All complaints are handled in confidence and shared only with those who need to know so they can investigate and respond. Any personal data you provide as part of your complaint will be processed in line with applicable data protection requirements and used only for the purposes of managing your complaint and improving our services.

Using feedback to improve our services

Every complaint, whether upheld or not, is taken seriously. We regularly review complaints and feedback to identify recurring issues, trends and opportunities to improve the way we deliver our man and van and removal services. This may lead to updates to our procedures, staff training, communication processes or operational practices.

By following this Complaints Procedure, Sutton Man and Van seeks to provide a clear, fair and structured way for you to raise concerns and have them addressed, helping us to maintain reliable, professional and customer-focused moving services.