Complaints Procedure — Forest Gate House Clearance Services

This complaints procedure sets out how Forest Gate House Clearance and related clearance services handle concerns about service standards, safety, disposal and rubbish removal operations. It applies to all aspects of our house clearance, waste collection and clearance projects, and is intended to be fair, transparent and easy to follow. The purpose is to ensure that any complaint about our domestic clearance or commercial rubbish removal is recorded, investigated and resolved promptly while protecting the rights of customers and staff.

Raising a Concern

To raise a concern about a house clearance or a refuse removal task, please provide a clear description of the issue, including the date and nature of the service. We request that complainants state whether the complaint relates to service quality, damage, health and safety, environmental disposal practices, or billing and administration. Complainants may be customers, representatives of an estate or property managers. Our aim is to receive enough information up front to begin a meaningful investigation.

On receipt of a complaint about a Forest Gate clearance job we will acknowledge it quickly and keep you informed of progress. A formal acknowledgement will normally be issued within a short period after the complaint is logged, and the complaint will be assigned to an investigator or case officer. We will set a target timescale for initial response and for a substantive update so that complainants know what to expect and when.

Investigation and Initial Steps

The assigned investigator will gather relevant information, which may include job records, photographs, vehicle logs and statements from crew members. We will review any contractual terms that applied to the specific clearance service and consider applicable environmental and waste disposal regulations. If required, the investigator may request further information from the complainant. Throughout this stage we will treat all personal data with confidentiality and follow data protection principles.

The investigation process commonly follows these steps:

• Record the complaint and acknowledge receipt.
• Gather evidence and interview involved staff.
• Assess the facts against operational procedures and legal obligations.
• Propose remedial actions if appropriate, and communicate proposed outcomes.

Possible outcomes include a full explanation of events, an apology where appropriate, corrective action such as re-attendance to complete or rectify a clearance task, or a review of charging and documentation where billing is disputed. We may also offer alternatives such as further waste collection or assisted clearance depending on the situation and the nature of the complaint.

Confidentiality, record-keeping and timescales are central to our approach. We keep a written record of each complaint, the actions taken and the outcome. These records are used to identify trends and to improve services. Where a complaint involves safety, potential environmental harm, or a breach of disposal regulations, we will escalate the matter internally and, where legally required, report to the appropriate authorities. Complainants should be aware that some investigations may take longer where third parties or external waste processors are involved.

If the complaint is not resolved to the complainant's satisfaction, there is a formal escalation path within the organisation. This typically involves a review by a senior manager who was not involved in the original investigation. The reviewer will re-examine the evidence, confirm whether procedures were followed and determine if any additional remedies are appropriate. Decisions at this stage will be communicated clearly and will include the reasons for the decision.

Further escalation options can include independent dispute resolution where both parties agree to an external reviewer or mediation. We support impartial resolution routes for complex disputes, especially those involving significant alleged damage, disposal breaches or contested charges. Our intention is to reach a fair outcome without unnecessary delay, and to document any agreed actions.

We are committed to learning from complaints. Each upheld complaint is used as an opportunity to improve staff training, site procedures and operational systems. Reports summarising complaint themes inform our continuous improvement programme so that similar issues are less likely to recur. This also helps maintain high standards across our clearance and rubbish removal services.

Accessibility and fairness are important. We accept complaints from authorised representatives acting on behalf of a customer or estate, and we take steps to ensure that vulnerable customers are treated with respect and given assistance to use this procedure. Our approach is non-discriminatory and aims to balance the needs of customers, staff and environmental responsibilities.

Finally, when a complaint has been closed we retain records for an appropriate period consistent with operational and regulatory requirements. Periodic reviews of complaint trends and outcomes take place to ensure the complaints procedure itself remains effective and proportionate. Forest Gate clearance teams welcome constructive input that helps raise service standards while ensuring compliance with waste handling and disposal obligations.