Complaints Procedure for Gardeners Addiscombe

Gardeners Addiscombe is committed to providing reliable, professional gardening and landscaping services. We recognise that occasionally things may not go as expected, and when this happens we want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us put things right and improve our services for all customers.

Purpose of this Complaints Procedure

The purpose of this complaints procedure is to explain clearly how you can raise a concern about any aspect of our gardening services, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us at each stage. This procedure covers all customers who use Gardeners Addiscombe for regular garden maintenance, one-off tidy ups, lawn care, planting, hedge cutting, or other related services in our local area.

We aim to handle every complaint fairly, consistently, and as quickly as reasonably possible. We welcome genuine complaints and use them as an opportunity to review our working practices and service standards.

What Counts as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about the standard of our work, the conduct of our gardeners or office team, or the way we have handled a previous enquiry. Typical complaints may include:

Issues with the quality of gardening or landscaping work

Concerns about reliability, lateness, or missed appointments

Disputes about quotations, invoices, or payment

Concerns about behaviour, courtesy, or communication

Health and safety or property damage concerns

If you are unsure whether your concern counts as a complaint, please raise it with us anyway. We will either address it informally or guide you through this formal complaints process if needed.

Raising a Complaint Informally

In the first instance, we encourage you to raise concerns informally as soon as possible, ideally within a few days of the issue arising. Informal complaints can often be resolved quickly and with minimal inconvenience.

You may contact us using your usual method of communication with Gardeners Addiscombe, such as speaking with the gardener on site or contacting our office. When doing so, please provide:

Your full name and the service address

The date the issue occurred

A brief description of what went wrong

What you feel would be a reasonable resolution

We will do our best to resolve the matter promptly, usually within a few working days. If you are not satisfied with the informal outcome, or if the matter is more serious or complex, you may use the formal complaints process set out below.

Making a Formal Complaint

If your concern cannot be resolved informally, or you prefer a more structured approach, you may submit a formal complaint. Please set out your complaint in writing and include as much detail as possible, such as:

Your name and contact details

The property where the work was carried out

Dates and times of the incident or service

A clear description of the problem

Details of any previous attempts to resolve the issue

Any photographs or notes that help explain the issue

This information helps us carry out a fair and thorough investigation of your complaint.

Acknowledgement of Your Complaint

Once we receive your formal complaint, we will acknowledge it in writing. We aim to do this within five working days. Our acknowledgement will confirm that we have received your complaint, identify who will be handling it, and provide an estimated timescale for our investigation.

How We Investigate Complaints

Your complaint will be investigated by a person with appropriate knowledge of our gardening services who was not directly responsible for the issue you have raised, whenever possible. The investigation may include:

Reviewing job records, schedules, and notes from the gardening team

Inspecting the garden or outdoor space where work was carried out

Speaking to the gardeners or staff involved

Considering any photographs, messages, or other evidence you have provided

We aim to complete most investigations and provide a full response within fifteen working days from acknowledgement. If the matter is more complex and we require more time, we will let you know and update you on progress.

Our Response and Proposed Resolution

At the end of our investigation, we will write to you with our findings. This response will explain:

What we have understood from your complaint

The steps we took to investigate

Our conclusion about what happened

Any actions we propose to put things right, if appropriate

Depending on the circumstances, our proposed resolution may include, for example, returning to rectify work, adjusting future work plans, offering a partial refund or credit, or making internal changes to our working methods or staff training.

If You Are Not Satisfied

If you remain unhappy after receiving our formal response, you may ask for your complaint to be reviewed. Where possible, a more senior person within Gardeners Addiscombe will review the investigation and outcome.

During this review, we will consider whether the complaint was handled fairly, whether all relevant information was taken into account, and whether our decision and proposed resolution were reasonable in the circumstances. We will then write to you confirming the outcome of the review and whether any further action will be taken.

Time Limits for Complaints

We encourage you to raise any concerns about our gardening work as soon as possible, ideally within four weeks of the service being carried out. This allows us to inspect the garden while conditions are similar and increases the chances of resolving the matter effectively. We may still consider complaints made after this period, but it may be more difficult to assess what has happened.

Fair Treatment and Confidentiality

All complaints will be handled in a respectful and confidential manner. Raising a complaint in good faith will not affect your right to continue using Gardeners Addiscombe or the way we deliver future services to you. We ask that you treat our staff and gardeners with courtesy during the complaints process so that we can work together constructively to resolve the issue.

Using Feedback to Improve Our Services

We regularly review the complaints and feedback we receive to identify patterns and areas where we can improve. This may include adjusting our appointment systems, improving communication about timings, enhancing training for gardeners, or revising our quality checks. By sharing your concerns with us, you help us maintain and improve the standard of gardening services we provide across the Addiscombe area.

This complaints procedure is intended to be clear and accessible. If anything is unclear or you need help understanding any part of it, please contact us and we will be happy to explain it further.