Balham Carpet Cleaners Complaints Procedure
Balham Carpet Cleaners is committed to delivering professional, reliable and courteous cleaning services. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. When this happens, we want to know about it and we aim to resolve issues quickly, fairly and transparently. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern about our services and what you can expect from us in response.
Purpose of this Complaints Procedure
The purpose of this procedure is to provide a clear and accessible process for customers who are dissatisfied with any aspect of our carpet, upholstery or general cleaning services. Our aims are to:
• Make it easy for you to tell us when something has gone wrong.
• Investigate complaints thoroughly and promptly.
• Put things right wherever we reasonably can.
• Use feedback to improve the way we deliver our services in residential and commercial properties.
What Is a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether spoken or written, about the quality of our cleaning work, the conduct of our staff or subcontractors, our pricing and billing practices, or the way we have handled a previous enquiry or issue.
We welcome all genuine complaints, regardless of whether you have used us once or on a regular basis, and whether the work took place at a home, office, or other premises.
How to Make a Complaint
You can raise a complaint in the following ways:
• Verbally, to a member of our cleaning team while they are on site.
• Verbally, to a supervisor or manager.
• In writing, by letter sent to our head office or administrative address.
When making a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible, including:
• Your full name and the address where the cleaning was carried out.
• The date and approximate time of the service.
• A clear description of what went wrong and how it has affected you.
• Any relevant photographs, if there is visible damage or missed areas.
• Any steps already taken to discuss the problem with our team.
This information helps us review your complaint quickly and fairly.
Timeframes for Raising a Complaint
We recommend that you raise any concerns about the quality of cleaning or conduct of staff as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours of the service. Issues such as visible stains, missed areas, or concerns about the way specialist equipment was used are easier to assess while the work is recent.
Complaints about damage to items, furnishings or flooring should also be raised promptly so that we can inspect and, where appropriate, liaise with insurers or product manufacturers.
How We Handle Your Complaint
We follow a structured process to ensure consistency and fairness:
1. Acknowledgement
We aim to acknowledge your complaint promptly. If you have raised your concern in person or over the phone, we will normally acknowledge it immediately. Written complaints will be acknowledged as soon as reasonably possible after we receive them.
2. Initial Assessment
A manager or designated complaints handler will review the details you have provided. They may contact you to clarify information, ask for photographs or arrange a visit to the property if necessary.
3. Investigation
We will investigate the issues raised, which may include speaking to the cleaners who attended your property, reviewing job notes, inspecting any affected areas or items, and checking relevant policies and training materials.
4. Response and Outcome
Once our investigation is complete, we will explain our findings to you and outline any proposed resolution. Where appropriate and reasonable, this may include:
• Returning to re-clean specific areas.
• Offering a partial or full refund for the affected service.
• Providing a credit against future work.
• Taking corrective action with staff, including additional training or supervision.
• Referring the matter to our insurers if there is evidence of damage and potential liability.
We aim to handle most complaints as quickly as circumstances allow, especially where there is an impact on the cleanliness or usability of your property.
What We Ask From You
To help us resolve your complaint effectively, we ask that you:
• Treat our staff with respect and allow them reasonable time to investigate.
• Do not attempt to repair, replace or dispose of any allegedly damaged items before we have had an opportunity to inspect them or request evidence.
• Provide accurate and complete information about the circumstances of the complaint.
• Allow access to the property, where needed, so that we can review the work or inspect any alleged damage.
Situations Where We May Not Uphold a Complaint
While we take all complaints seriously, there are situations where we may not be able to uphold a complaint or offer compensation. Examples include:
• Pre-existing damage, wear or staining that could not reasonably be removed or improved by cleaning.
• Issues arising from incorrect or incomplete information provided by the customer, such as undisclosed material sensitivities.
• Additional soiling, damage or changes that occurred after our team left the property.
• Reasonable variations in results where we have explained the limitations of particular cleaning methods in advance.
Continuous Improvement
Every complaint is an opportunity for us to improve our services. We keep records of complaints and outcomes, identify any recurring themes, and review our training, supervision, equipment and cleaning methods accordingly.
By following this Complaints Procedure, Balham Carpet Cleaners aims to provide a consistent, fair and professional approach to resolving problems and maintaining high standards across all the homes and businesses we serve.
