Storage Downe Complaints Procedure
This Complaints Procedure sets out how Storage Downe will receive, investigate and resolve complaints relating to our storage and removal services. We aim to handle every concern fairly, promptly and transparently, whether it arises before, during or after your move or storage period.
Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this procedure is to provide a clear and accessible route for customers to raise issues and to ensure that those issues are properly reviewed. This procedure applies to all services provided by Storage Downe, including household removals, business moves, packing, loading, transport, storage, and associated customer support.
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our service, staff, processes or communication, where a response or resolution is expected. Feedback, whether positive or negative, is always welcome and helps us improve the quality and reliability of our removal and storage operations.
How to Make a Complaint
You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. We encourage you to provide as much detail as possible, including your full name, any reference or booking number, dates of service, and a clear description of what went wrong and what outcome you are seeking.
If your concern arises while our removal team is on site, please raise it immediately with the team leader so that it can be addressed there and then if possible. If the issue cannot be resolved on the day, or if it relates to storage, administration, billing or previous moves, you should submit your complaint to the office for formal review.
For clarity and record keeping, written complaints are preferred. Written complaints help us ensure that all details are accurately captured, particularly where the matter relates to lost or damaged items, delays, access issues or billing disputes.
Information We Need From You
To help us investigate your complaint effectively and efficiently, please provide:
The name under which the booking was made, the service address or storage unit reference, dates of the removal or storage period, and an outline of the events leading to your complaint. Please describe what happened, when it happened, who was involved, and any conversations you had with our team. Include any relevant documents such as inventories, condition reports, booking confirmations, or photographs of any damage.
It is also helpful if you state how you would like us to resolve the matter, for example, by an explanation, apology, corrective action, or review of charges. While we cannot guarantee that every requested outcome will be possible, understanding your expectations helps us to seek a fair and reasonable resolution.
Our Acknowledgement and Response Times
We aim to acknowledge all complaints within five working days of receipt. The acknowledgement will confirm that we have received your complaint and outline the next steps in the process.
We will then carry out an investigation. For straightforward issues, such as minor service queries or simple billing questions, we aim to provide a full response within ten working days of acknowledging your complaint. For more complex matters, such as claims involving multiple parties, significant damage, or extended periods of storage, the investigation may take longer. In these cases, we will keep you informed of our progress and provide an estimated timescale for our full response.
How We Investigate Complaints
Each complaint is handled by a member of our management or customer care team who was not directly responsible for the issue raised, where possible. This ensures impartiality and a fair review.
The investigation may include reviewing your booking details and service records, speaking with the removal or warehouse team involved, checking vehicle logs, inventory sheets and photographs, and considering any relevant policies or terms agreed at the time of booking.
Once the investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written outcome. This will set out our understanding of the complaint, the steps we have taken to investigate, our findings, and any actions we propose to take. Actions may include an apology, service correction, remedial work, review of internal processes, or where appropriate and subject to our terms, consideration of compensation.
Resolution and Remedies
Storage Downe is committed to resolving complaints in a way that is fair and proportionate to the circumstances. Remedies will depend on the nature of the issue and the contractual terms that apply to your removal or storage agreement.
Where we identify that our service has fallen below the standards we aim to provide, we may offer practical solutions such as arranging a revisit by a removal team, correcting documentation, adjusting storage arrangements, or amending invoices where errors are identified.
Where a complaint involves loss of or damage to goods, any consideration of compensation will be handled in accordance with the terms and conditions agreed at the time of booking, and with reference to any applicable insurance cover. You may be asked to provide evidence such as proof of value, photographs, or repair estimates.
Escalating Your Complaint
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint at the initial stage, you may request that it be reviewed by a senior manager. Your escalation request should explain why you disagree with the original decision and provide any additional information that you consider relevant.
The senior manager will review the original complaint, the investigation and the outcome, and may carry out further enquiries if necessary. We aim to provide a final written response to escalated complaints within fifteen working days of receiving your request for review, or will explain if more time is needed.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
All complaints are handled confidentially. Information you provide will be used only for the purpose of investigating and resolving your complaint, training our teams, and improving our services. Personal data will be processed in line with our data protection obligations and retained only for as long as necessary for these purposes and to meet any legal or regulatory requirements.
Using This Procedure
By using the services of Storage Downe, you agree that concerns and complaints will in the first instance be raised and managed through this Complaints Procedure. We believe that most issues can be resolved directly and constructively when addressed promptly, and we are committed to learning from complaints to enhance the quality and reliability of our removal and storage services.
