Client Complaints Policy and Procedure
Our Commitment to You
At Citizens Advice Solent East – Portsmouth, we are committed to providing free, confidential, impartial, and independent advice to help people resolve their problems. We aim to offer high-quality services and continuously improve them. We welcome feedback, including complaints, as an opportunity to improve and put things right when they go wrong.
What is a Complaint?
A complaint is when you tell us you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from us or the way you have been treated by our staff or volunteers. This includes:
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Failure to provide a service or provide it on time
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Unfair or biased treatment
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Breach of confidentiality
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Poor quality of advice or information
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Failure to follow our policies or procedures
How to Make a Complaint
We want to resolve problems as quickly as possible. You can complain in several ways:
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In person or in writing:
Citizens Advice Solent East
Unit 2-3, Ark Royal House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth, PO1 2GF -
By phone:
023 94006600 (Mon–Thurs, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM) -
By email:
contactus@caportsmouth.org.uk -
Online:
Via the national Citizens Advice complaint form:
citizensadvice.org.uk
If you need help making a complaint, a staff member or volunteer can assist you.
Our Complaints Process
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Informal Stage:
We encourage you to raise your concern directly with the person involved or their supervisor. Many issues can be resolved informally, quickly, and to your satisfaction. -
Formal Stage:
If you are not satisfied, you can submit a formal complaint. We will:-
Acknowledge your complaint within five working days
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Investigate it fully and fairly
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Provide a written response within eight weeks
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Review Stage:
If you remain dissatisfied, you can ask the Citizens Advice Client Services team to review the complaint. This must be requested within 4 weeks of our final decision. They will review and respond within 8 weeks. -
Independent Adjudication:
If you are still unhappy, you may escalate the complaint to the Independent Adjudicator within 4 weeks of the Client Services decision. This is the final stage and their decision is binding.
Special Complaints
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Immigration Advice:
Contact the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)
Tel: 0345 000 0046 | Email: info@oisc.gov.uk -
Financial Advice:
Contact the Financial Ombudsman Service
Tel: 0800 023 4567 | Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk -
Data Protection Issues:
Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Tel: 0303 123 1113 | Email: icocasework@ico.org.uk
Confidentiality and Fairness
All complaints are handled sensitively. We treat everyone fairly and without discrimination. Your complaint will not affect any future services you receive.
Unacceptable Behaviour
We understand that complaints may be made in frustration. However, we will not tolerate abusive, aggressive, or threatening behaviour towards our staff or volunteers. In such cases, we may restrict communications or, in extreme circumstances, refuse to handle the complaint.
Learning from Complaints
We regularly review complaints to improve our services. Your feedback helps us identify problems, learn from mistakes, and provide a better service for everyone.
