Gardeners Bexley Complaints Procedure

Gardeners Bexley is committed to providing a reliable, professional and courteous gardening service. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern with us, how we will respond, and the steps we take to resolve issues fairly and efficiently.

Purpose of this Complaints Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a clear and accessible process for customers who are dissatisfied with any aspect of our gardening services. It applies to all services we deliver, including regular garden maintenance, one off tidy ups, lawn care and related work carried out at your property.

We aim to:

Listen carefully to your concerns and understand the issue from your perspective.

Investigate complaints thoroughly, objectively and without unnecessary delay.

Provide a clear explanation of our findings and any actions we will take.

Use feedback to improve the quality and reliability of our services in the future.

What Counts as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether written or verbal, about the service you have received from Gardeners Bexley. This can include issues such as:

The standard or quality of gardening work completed.

Delays, missed appointments or problems with scheduling.

Conduct, behaviour or attitude of a gardener or team member.

Communication problems, including lack of updates or unclear information.

Concerns about how we have handled a previous query or request.

We encourage you to raise any concern as soon as possible so that we can address it promptly and reduce the risk of further inconvenience.

How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in writing or verbally, whichever is easiest for you. When raising a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible so that we can understand and investigate the issue. Helpful information includes:

Your full name and the address where the gardening work took place.

The date or dates of the work or appointment involved.

A clear description of what went wrong and how it has affected you.

Any relevant photographs, notes or other information that supports your concerns.

What you would consider a reasonable outcome or resolution.

If you make a complaint verbally, we may ask you to confirm key details in writing so that we have an accurate record and can respond effectively.

Our Complaints Handling Stages

Stage One: Initial Review and Acknowledgement

Once we receive your complaint, we will record it and begin an initial review. We will normally acknowledge your complaint within a reasonable time period, explaining the next steps and who will be responsible for handling it.

At this stage we may contact you to clarify details, request further information or arrange a convenient time to visit the property to view the garden work where this is necessary.

Stage Two: Investigation and Response

A member of our team will investigate your complaint. This may involve:

Reviewing work notes and schedules relating to the visit.

Discussing the issue with the gardeners or staff involved.

Inspecting the garden or outdoor area if an on site review is appropriate.

Considering whether our service met the expected standards and agreed scope of work.

Once the investigation is complete, we will provide a written or verbal response setting out:

Our understanding of your complaint.

The findings of our investigation.

Whether we believe the complaint is upheld in full, in part, or not upheld.

Any steps we propose to resolve the matter.

Stage Three: Resolution and Follow Up

If your complaint is upheld in full or in part, we will seek to put things right in a fair and practical way. Depending on the circumstances, this could include:

Carrying out remedial gardening work.

Revisiting the property to complete or correct specific tasks.

Offering a partial or full adjustment to charges where appropriate.

Providing additional information or clarification regarding our service.

We will agree any remedial actions with you and, where possible, provide realistic timescales for completion. After the agreed actions have been carried out, we may follow up with you to confirm that you are satisfied with the outcome.

Timescales

We aim to handle all complaints as promptly as possible. Actual timescales may vary depending on the complexity of the issue, access to the garden and availability of relevant team members. We will keep you informed of progress and let you know if we require more time to complete our investigation or remedial work.

If You Remain Dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with our response or the proposed resolution, you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed again. Another member of the team or a manager will look at the matter, taking into account all previous correspondence and actions taken. We will then provide a further and final response, explaining our position and any additional steps we are able to offer.

Your Responsibilities as a Customer

To help us resolve complaints effectively, we ask that you:

Raise concerns as soon as reasonably possible after the issue arises.

Provide clear, accurate information and any evidence that may assist our investigation.

Allow us reasonable access to the garden or outdoor space if an inspection is required.

Treat our staff with courtesy and respect during all communications.

We reserve the right to end any communication that is abusive, threatening or unreasonable, while still considering the substance of the complaint where possible.

Using Feedback to Improve Our Services

Every complaint is an opportunity for Gardeners Bexley to learn and improve. We regularly review complaints data to identify patterns, training needs, or changes to our gardening processes that could prevent similar issues from arising in future. Wherever possible, we will update our working methods, guidance for gardeners and customer communication practices based on the feedback we receive.

Review of this Complaints Procedure

This Complaints Procedure is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains clear, fair and suitable for the gardening services we provide. Any updates will apply to future complaints and will be made available to customers who request information about how we handle concerns.

We value your custom and the trust you place in Gardeners Bexley to care for your outdoor spaces. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please use this procedure so that we can understand the issue and work with you towards a satisfactory resolution.