Complaints Procedure for Barnet Carpet Cleaners

Barnet Carpet Cleaners is committed to providing professional carpet, rug and upholstery cleaning services and to dealing with any concerns promptly, fairly and consistently. This complaints procedure explains how you can raise an issue with us, how we will respond, and what you can expect at each stage.

1. Purpose and Scope

This procedure applies to all domestic and commercial customers who have used our cleaning services. A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our work, our staff, our conduct on site, the condition in which a property was left after cleaning, or the way we have handled an enquiry or booking.

We aim to:

Respond to complaints in a timely manner.

Investigate concerns thoroughly and objectively.

Provide clear explanations and, where appropriate, a suitable remedy.

Use feedback to improve our services and staff training.

2. How to Make a Complaint

You can raise a complaint using any written method that is convenient for you, such as by letter or through our online contact form if available. If you prefer, you may first raise the issue verbally with our operative while they are on site, or with our office team. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction at that point, you should submit a formal complaint in writing.

When making a complaint, please include as much detail as possible so we can investigate effectively. Helpful information includes:

Your full name and the address where the cleaning was carried out.

The date and approximate time of the service.

A clear description of the issue, such as missed areas, damage, or conduct concerns.

Any supporting information, such as photos of the area concerned or details of conversations with our staff.

Any steps you have already taken to raise the issue informally.

3. Time Limits for Raising Concerns

We ask that complaints are raised as soon as reasonably possible after the service has taken place. For most issues relating to the quality of cleaning, we request that you contact us within 48 hours of the visit, so that we can inspect the work while conditions are still similar and any residues or marks are still visible.

Complaints raised after a longer period will still be considered. However, the options available to put things right may be more limited where time has passed or where the area has been used, cleaned, or altered by others.

4. Our Acknowledgement of Your Complaint

We will acknowledge your complaint as soon as reasonably practicable once it has been received in writing. In our acknowledgement, we will confirm that we have logged your complaint, outline the next steps in the process, and advise if we require any further information or evidence from you.

5. Investigation and Assessment

Your complaint will be reviewed by a member of our management team who is not directly involved in the matter wherever possible. The investigation may include:

Reviewing your description of events and any written notes.

Examining photographs or other evidence you provide.

Speaking with the operative or team who attended your property.

Reviewing our job records, booking details and any relevant risk assessments.

Arranging a follow up visit to inspect the area, if appropriate and agreed.

We will aim to complete our investigation and provide a response within a reasonable time frame, taking into account the complexity of the issues raised.

6. Our Response and Possible Outcomes

Once our investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written response. This will explain:

The findings of our investigation.

Whether your complaint has been upheld in full, in part, or not upheld.

Any actions we propose to take in order to resolve the matter.

Actions may include, where appropriate:

A re-clean of specific areas of carpet or upholstery.

Practical steps to rectify a problem that has reasonably arisen from our work.

Guidance or explanations where issues are caused by pre-existing damage, permanent staining, wear, or factors outside our control.

Staff training or internal process improvements.

Any remedies will take into account the nature of the service booked, the condition of the items prior to cleaning, and any limitations we explained before or during the job.

7. Situations Where We May Not Be Able to Accept a Complaint

There are circumstances where we may not be able to uphold a complaint, for example:

Where damage or staining was pre-existing or has been caused by third parties.

Where cleaning results are limited by age, wear, fibre type, previous cleaning products or permanent staining.

Where recommendations or warnings given by our staff before or during the work were not followed.

Where significant time has passed and it is no longer possible to verify the condition of the property or items immediately after cleaning.

In these situations, we will still explain our reasoning clearly to you.

8. Escalating Your Complaint Internally

If you are unhappy with the initial outcome, you may ask for your complaint to be reviewed by a senior manager. You should explain why you disagree with the initial response and provide any additional information that you feel has not been considered.

The senior review will focus on whether the complaint was handled fairly and in line with this procedure and whether the conclusions reached are reasonable in light of the evidence available.

9. Our Commitment to Fair Treatment

Every complaint is important to us. We will treat you with courtesy and respect throughout the process and expect the same in return for our staff. We do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our operatives or office team. Where behaviour becomes unreasonable, we may restrict the ways in which we communicate while still aiming to address any legitimate concerns.

10. Using Feedback to Improve Our Services

We review complaints and customer feedback on a regular basis to identify patterns and areas for improvement. This may result in updates to our training, cleaning methods, equipment, job documentation, or booking processes, to help ensure a consistently reliable cleaning service across our operating area.

11. Changes to this Complaints Procedure

Barnet Carpet Cleaners may update or amend this complaints procedure from time to time to reflect changes in our services, internal processes or applicable guidance. The version in force at the time you raise your complaint will be the one applied to your case.

If you have any questions about this procedure, please contact our office using your usual method of communication with us.