Complaints Procedure

Complaints Procedure for Elephant and Castle Cleaners

Elephant and Castle Cleaners is committed to delivering reliable and high-quality cleaning services for homes, offices, and commercial premises in our service area. We recognise that on occasion things may not go as expected. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us at each stage.

Our Commitment to Handling Complaints

We aim to handle every complaint in a fair, professional, and timely manner. When you contact us, we will listen carefully, treat you with respect, and make every reasonable effort to put things right. We also use feedback from complaints to improve our cleaning processes, staff training, and overall customer service.

What This Procedure Covers

This procedure applies to complaints related to any cleaning service provided by Elephant and Castle Cleaners, including but not limited to domestic cleaning, end of tenancy cleans, deep cleaning, office cleaning, and regular maintenance services. It covers issues such as service quality, punctuality, conduct of cleaning staff, and any concerns about how your booking or account has been managed.

How to Make a Complaint

You can raise a complaint using any of the usual contact channels displayed on our website or service materials. When you contact us, please provide as much detail as possible so that we can investigate and respond efficiently.

To help us deal with your complaint, please include the following information where possible:

• Your full name and, if applicable, the name of the person or business that made the booking
• The address where the cleaning service took place
• The date and approximate time of the service
• A clear description of the issue or concern
• Any supporting details, such as photos, invoices, or messages
• How you would like us to resolve the matter, where you have a preferred solution

Timeframe for Raising a Complaint

We recommend that you raise any complaint as soon as possible after the service, ideally within 48 hours of the clean taking place. This allows us to investigate promptly, speak to the cleaning team while the details are still fresh, and if necessary revisit the property to assess any issues in person.

Our Complaints Handling Stages

We follow a clear, step-by-step process to ensure your complaint is handled consistently and fairly.

Stage 1: Initial Acknowledgement

Once we receive your complaint, we will acknowledge it as soon as reasonably possible during our normal office hours. In this acknowledgement, we will confirm that your complaint has been logged and provide an outline of the next steps and indicative timescales.

Stage 2: Investigation

A member of our management or customer care team will review your complaint in detail. This may involve:

• Checking your booking and service records
• Speaking to the cleaners or supervisors involved
• Reviewing any photographs or other evidence you have provided
• Considering our internal policies and service standards

We aim to complete this investigation and provide you with a substantive response as soon as reasonably practicable, typically within 10 working days, depending on the complexity of the issue.

Stage 3: Outcome and Resolution

After our investigation, we will communicate our findings to you clearly. Where we agree that service standards have not been met, we will explain what went wrong and offer appropriate steps to resolve the matter. Depending on the circumstances, this may include a re-clean, an adjustment or goodwill gesture, or changes to how future services are delivered.

If we find that our service met the agreed specification, we will explain our reasoning and any relevant terms or conditions that apply. In all cases, we will aim to provide a transparent explanation so that you understand how we reached our decision.

Stage 4: Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the outcome at Stage 3, you may ask for the complaint to be reviewed by a senior member of our team who was not involved in the original decision. They will reassess the information, consider any additional details you provide, and issue a final response where possible.

Customer Responsibilities

To help us resolve complaints efficiently, we ask customers to:

• Provide accurate and complete information relating to the complaint
• Allow reasonable opportunities for us to investigate the matter
• Permit access to the property for any agreed re-clean or inspection
• Communicate with our staff and management in a respectful manner

Fair Treatment of Staff

We take the wellbeing and safety of our cleaning teams seriously. While we welcome honest feedback and complaints, we will not tolerate abusive, threatening, or discriminatory behaviour towards our staff. In such cases, we may limit communication to specific channels or, in serious instances, decline to continue providing services.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

All complaints are handled in confidence. Information you provide will only be shared with those who need it to investigate and resolve your complaint or to meet our legal and regulatory obligations. We manage all personal data in line with our privacy practices and applicable data protection requirements.

Continuous Improvement

We review complaints regularly to identify trends and areas where our cleaning services or procedures can be improved. This may include additional staff training, updates to our service checklists, or changes to how we schedule and supervise work across our service area.

Review of This Procedure

This Complaints Procedure is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains clear, effective, and aligned with our commitment to high-quality cleaning and customer care. Any updates will be published on our website or made available on request.

If you have any questions about this Complaints Procedure or would like guidance on how to raise a concern, please contact our customer care team using the usual details shown on our website or service documentation.