Complaints Handling Procedure
As a regulated RICS firm, we have in place a CHP, which
meets the regulatory requirements. Our CHP has two
stages.
Stage one of the CHP gives our firm the opportunity to
review and consider your complaint in full. Our firm will try
to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction. If you are
not happy with our response, you will have the opportunity
to take your complaint to stage two. Stage two gives you
the client, the opportunity to have your complaint reviewed
and considered by an independent redress provider,
approved by RICS.
Stage One
If you have spoken to us about your complaint, please put
the details of your complaint in writing. We ask that you
put your complaint in writing to make sure that we have a
full understanding of the reasons for your complaint.
Please send your written complaint to:
Name of contact at firm
Firm name
Address
Postcode
Telephone number
Email address
Website
We will consider your complaint as quickly as possible,
and will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 7
days. If we are not able to give you a full response, we
will update you within 28 days.
Stage Two
If we are unable to agree on how to resolve your complaint
then you have the opportunity to take your complaint to an
independent redress provider, as approved by RICS
Regulatory Board. We have chosen to use the following
redress providers:
For Consumer Clients:
Name of redress mechanism
Address
Post Code
Telephone
Email Address
Website
For Business-to-Business clients:
Name of redress provider
Address
Post Code
Telephone
Email Address
Website
Example Complaints Log Guidance
Information that RICS recommends should be
included and why
RICS has a sample complaints log which documents the
type of information firms should consider recording on a
complaints log. If the sample log is not appropriate for your
firm’s needs, we recommend you include any additional
information to your existing log, or develop a new log
taking into consideration any additional information that
should be included.
A complaints log should be in place to demonstrate the
tracking and management of a complaint; demonstrate
what actions have been taken and when; identify any
training needs and reduce the number of complaints a firm
or individual receives.
Recommendations
Below are some suggestions that firms should take into
consideration when creating or recording information in
their complaints logs.
Complainant Details
Firms’ should consider including all including full details of
the complainant within the complaints log. These should
include the contact name, postal address, email address,
telephone and/or fax number.
It may also be useful to record any impairments or special
circumstances which the firm should take into
consideration when progressing the complaint.
Dates
To demonstrate how timely a firm is dealing with
complaints, firms should consider including the dates of
when the complaint was received and when any action are
carried out. i.e. each time the complainant was contacted,
when action or investigation took place, when the matter
was referred to a redress scheme and/or insurers etc.
Complaints handler and reference numbers
If a firm has more than one complaints handler, it may be
useful to include the name of the person who is dealing
with the complaint for ease of reference. Firms should also
allocate a reference number to the complaint to make it
easier to locate the file.
Relevant Person
The complaints log should clarify what the complaints are
about, i.e. firm or an individual, to establish if there are any
training needs, or whether some of the firm’s internal
processes need amending to reduce the number of
complaints received.
Description of complaint
Complaints logs should always include a description of the
complaint, detailing what the complaint is about and
ensuring that all correspondence is in writing.
The firm should also establish if there has been a number
of complaints about a particular area of work or about a
particular individual which may need addressing further.
Investigation and outcome
Complaints logs should outline what outcome the firm has
reached through investigation of the complaint and what
action will be/has been taken. Firms should include details
of whether the matter has been referred to insurers,
independent redress etc. It should also be noted whether
the complainant has been informed in writing of the firm’s
outcome and what the next step is should they not agree
with the actions taken by the firm.
Further action by firm
Firms should consider whether any insights have been
gained from the investigation of a complaint in order to
reduce the number of complaints received or prevent a
similar situation arising again. This could include the
noting down of any potential areas of training the firm
could offer; amendments to policies and procedures;
individual training needs; and notification to insurers
and/or redress providers.
Example Complaints Log Template
Information to log Details
Complainant Details:
• Name(s)
• All available
contact
information
(address,
telephone, fax,
email etc)
• Any special
circumstances?
Date complaint
received
Date complaint
logged
Logged by
Complaint reference
number
Relevant Person
Details:
• Firm or
individual (name
of person)
• Multiple
complaints
about the same
individual?
Details of complaint:
• Received in
writing?
• Description of
complaint (what,
where, when,
who, why etc)
• Has more than
one complaint
been received
within the same
area of work?
Investigation and
outcome:
• What action has
been taken?
• Is complainant
satisfied?
• Referred to
independent
redress?
• Insurers
notified?
• Complainant
confirmed
outcome in
writing?
• Has or is RICS
involved?
Action taken by firm
to prevent re-
occurrence and to
reduce the number of
complaints for that
individual or that area
of work
Any other comments
