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 three stages.

Stage one

We will try to deal with your complaint informally. 

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

• using the Complaints online form
• using the customer feedback form
• in person at our Civic Offices and our area offices in Bushey and Potters Bar
• by phone on 020 8207 2277
• by letter; or
• by email on customer.services@hertsmere.gov.uk
  We will do our best to settle your complaint without you needing to do anything else. We will respond to your complaint in writing within 10 working days.

If we cannot sort out your complaint within 10 working days, we will write to you and let you know:

• when you can expect an answer from us
• 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. To do this you will need to put your complaint in writing to the Complaints Officer by either:

• writing a letter
• filling in a customer feedback form

If you need help in completing the form, please ask us.

When we receive your complaint we will write to you within five working days to tell you who will be dealing with your complaint and to give you a reference number. This information will make it easier if you need to contact the person dealing with your complaint. This officer will:

• consider all the details
• take any necessary action
• make sure you receive a written reply within another 15 working days.

If we cannot send you a written reply within 15 working days, we will write to you to tell you why we need more time and to let you know when you will receive a written reply.

Stage three

If you have been through stages one and two and you are still not happy, you can ask our Complaints Officer to refer the matter to a Director as a stage 3 complaint. They will decide whether we should carry out an investigation. They will consider whether carrying out an investigation is likely to lead to a response which you will find helpful.

If the Director thinks that it would not be useful, the Complaints Advisory Panel (made up of three councillors) will then consider whether or not an investigation by us would be appropriate. The Complaints Officer will write to you within 20 working days to tell you the panel’s decision.

If we cannot make a decision within 20 working days, we will write to you to let you know when you will receive a written response.

If the Complaints Advisory Panel decides that we should carry out an investigation, a senior officer who has not already been involved will be responsible. He or she will prepare a report for the Chief Executive. The senior officer will contact you as part of their investigation. The Chief Executive will write to you within a further 30 working days to explain what they are going to do about your complaint.

We hope that we can solve your problem, but if you have followed our complaints procedure and are still not happy, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman's office at:

Local Government Ombudsman

PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH

Telephone: 0300 061 0614

Website: www.lgo.org.uk

You can get leaflets about how to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman from any of our offices. 

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

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

Contact us - our details are listed below, or report online using Report Missed Collection form.

If you are requesting information under the Data Protection Act or Freedom of Information Act, you should do this in writing to the Information Officer at our address below or request online using the Freedom of Information form. 

You should do this in writing to Parking Services at our address below, or emailing cpz@hertsmere.gov.uk.

You can write to the Standards Committee.