Comments, Complaints, and Compliments: FAQs

You can make a comment or give us a compliment if you:

• have ideas on how we can improve our services
• want to comment on our policies
• want to let us know what you think about our services
• want to let us know if you are satisfied with a service or a particular member of staff.

• If you have a comment or suggestion we will carefully consider what you have said and see if we can improve the service we provide
• We will tell you in writing within 10 working days what we have decided
• If you have a compliment for us, we will pass it on to the person or service involved.

A complaint is when you tell us you are not happy; for example if:

• you think you have been treated unfairly or impolitely
• we have not done something we should have done
• we have done something badly, or in the wrong way

We deal with complaints in two stages, described in our complaints policy.

Stage one

We will try to deal with your complaint informally.

You can make a comment, complaint, or compliment by contacting us:

• using the online complaints form
• by email to customer.services@hertsmere.gov.uk
• by letter; or
• by phone on 020 8207 2277

We will do our best to settle your complaint without you needing to do anything else.

Within 5 working days of receiving your complaint, we will contact you to acknowledge it. Within the following 10 working days, we will provide you with a written response. So it might take up to 15 working days in total.

If we cannot sort out your complaint within 15 working days, we will write to you and let you know:

• when you can expect an answer from us, and advise you of an extension of up to 10 working days
• the name of the person who is dealing with your complaint.

By law, we need to deal with some complaints in a different way. If so, we will tell you and give you more information.

Stage two

If, after stage one, you are still not happy, the next step is for you to make a formal complaint.  You will need to escalate your complaint to stage two, within 90 days of the stage one response, by writing to the Complaints Officer at complaints@hertsmere.gov.uk or at:

Complaints
Hertsmere Borough Council
Civic Offices
Elstree Way
Borehamwood
WD6 1WA

The complainant should explain why their complaint is not resolved to their satisfaction at stage one.

Within 5 working days of receiving your stage two complaint, we will acknowledge it. Within the following 20 working days, we will provide the complainant with a written response. So it might take up to 25 working days in total.

If an extension is required, due to the complexity of the complaint, we will explain why. The extension will not exceed 20 days.

Stage two is the final response stage.

The review of the stage two complaint will not be carried out by the same officer who considered the complaint at stage one.

There are a small number of people who pursue their complaints in a way that can prevent proper investigation of their complaint, or other peoples', or who refuse to accept the determination of their complaint.

Investigating these complaints uses significant and inappropriate amounts of council resources.

We refer to such complainant’s behaviour as ‘unreasonable’ and, exceptionally, we will take action to limit their contact with the council and its staff.

We hope that we can solve your problem but, if you have followed our complaints procedure and are still not happy, you can contact:

Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH.

Telephone: 0300 061 0614.          Website: www.lgo.org.uk

Leaflets, about how to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman, are available from the Civic Offices.

You can ask for help from a friend or relative, or contact an independent person or organisation, for example:

• your local councillor
• your MP
• a solicitor
• Citizens Advice Bureau

Contact us  or report online, including using:

• Report Missed Bin Collection form
• Report Fly Tipping form
• Report Street Cleansing form
• Report Abandoned Vehicle form
• Report Food Hygiene Issues form
• Report Noise Nuisance form
• Report Alleged Breach of Planning Control or Unauthorised Development form

You can enter the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) number to view information about the parking contravention.

To challenge the fine, you should email cpz@hertsmere.gov.uk or you can write to Parking Services at the Civic Offices.  Challenges must be in-writing.

To request information under the Data Protection Act or Freedom of Information Act, you should write to the Information Officer at the Civic Offices or use our online Freedom of Information form.  Requests must be in-writing.

You can write to the Standards Committee.