Complaints procedure...

What to do if you want to make a complaint

Our complaints procedure

Society for the Assistance of Ladies is committed to providing a good quality service to existing beneficiaries, new applicants and third parties acting on their behalf. We listen and respond to their views so that we can continue to improve our service. We recognise however, that we sometimes get things wrong or make mistakes. To deal with this we have a complaints procedure.

We will deal with your complaint

We do not look on complaints as unwanted. In fact, they may help us to see where our services or procedures might be improved. So do let us know where you feel we have made a mistake or done something which you found unsatisfactory or unacceptable. Even if you do not think your particular concern amounts to a 'complaint' we would still like to know about it. You may help us to deal with something we would otherwise overlook.

How to complain

Step 1: Contacting us

The first step is to talk to a member of the Society’s staff. This can be done quite informally, by telephone.

Usually, the best staff member to talk to will be the person who dealt with the matter you are concerned about, as they will be in the best position to help you quickly and to put things right.

We will try to resolve the problem on the spot if we can. If we can't do this, for example, because information we need is not to hand, then we will take a record of your concern and arrange the best way and time for getting back to you. This will normally be within five working days or we will make some other arrangement acceptable to you.

Step 2: Taking your complaint further.

We hope you will only feel the need to make a formal complaint as a last resort and that you will complain to the person dealing with the matter first to give them a chance to put things right. However, if you are still unhappy, the next step is to put your complaint in writing to the General Secretary of the Society, setting out the details, explaining what you think went wrong and what you feel would put things right.

Once the General Secretary receives a written complaint, he will arrange for it to be fully investigated. Your complaint will be acknowledged in writing within five working days of receiving it and the letter will say when you can expect a full response. This should normally be within three weeks unless the matter is very complicated, such as where other organisations need to be contacted. Where this is the case, we will still let you know what action is being taken and tell you when we expect to provide you with a full response.

 Step 3: The next stage

If you are not satisfied with the General Secretary’s investigation you can take your complaint to the Society’s Board. The Society is a registered charity and as such is managed by a Board of Trustees. All materials relating to your complaint and to the General Secretary’s investigation will be made available to the Chair of the Board. He/she will let you know within seven working days that your complaint has been received and tell you when to expect a full response.

There is no appeal against the decision of the Trustees as they alone bear the legal responsibility for the control of the Society’s affairs.