Complaints Procedure for Gardeners Malden Rushett

Gardeners Malden Rushett is committed to providing reliable, professional gardening services across Malden Rushett and the surrounding area. We aim to deliver work that meets or exceeds your expectations every time. However, we recognise that occasionally things can go wrong. This complaints procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will handle it, and what you can expect from us at each stage.

Our commitment to resolving complaints

We take all complaints seriously and treat them as an opportunity to review and improve our services, whether the issue relates to lawn care, hedge cutting, planting, garden clearance, regular maintenance, or any other gardening work we provide. Our goals when handling a complaint are to listen carefully, respond promptly, act fairly, and put things right where we reasonably can.

We aim to resolve most issues informally and quickly. If that is not possible, this formal complaints procedure sets out a clear, step-by-step process to make sure your concerns are investigated and addressed properly.

What counts as a complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about the services provided by Gardeners Malden Rushett, whether this arises before, during, or after the work has been carried out. Examples may include concerns about the quality of gardening work, the conduct or attitude of gardeners attending your property, reliability or timing of appointments, or the way your enquiry or booking has been handled.

Feedback that does not require a response or investigation, such as general suggestions for improvement, will be treated as comments rather than complaints. However, if you clearly tell us that you are unhappy and would like us to respond or take action, we will treat this as a complaint under this procedure.

How to make a complaint

You can raise a complaint in any reasonable way. You may choose to speak to a member of our team during or after a visit, or you may contact us in writing. Written complaints are preferred for more complex issues, as they provide a clear record of what has happened and what outcome you are seeking.

When making a complaint, please provide as much detail as you can, including your name, property address where the gardening work took place, the dates and times of any visits, a description of the issue you are unhappy about, and any steps already taken to resolve it informally. The more information you provide, the easier it is for us to understand and investigate your concerns.

Step 1: Informal resolution

In the first instance, we encourage you to raise any concern as soon as possible with the gardener on site or the person you dealt with when arranging the work. Many issues can be sorted out quickly at this stage, for example by agreeing a minor adjustment to the work, arranging a revisit, or clarifying what was agreed.

We aim to resolve informal concerns promptly. If you are not satisfied with the informal response, or if the matter is more serious, you can ask for your complaint to be handled under the formal procedure below.

Step 2: Formal complaint

If your concern cannot be resolved informally, or you prefer to raise it formally from the outset, your complaint will be reviewed by a person with appropriate responsibility within Gardeners Malden Rushett. They will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within a reasonable timeframe and will confirm that it is being handled under this procedure.

During the formal stage we may need to contact you to gather further information, clarify details, or arrange to inspect the garden or area of work in question. We will then investigate the matter, which may involve reviewing any notes, schedules, photographs, and communications relating to the services provided at your property.

Timescales for response

We aim to provide a full response to formal complaints within a reasonable period, taking into account the nature and complexity of the issue. Where we need more time, for example due to the need for site visits or additional information, we will let you know and keep you updated on progress.

Our response will explain the findings of our investigation, any decisions we have reached, and any steps we propose to take to resolve the matter wherever possible.

Possible outcomes

Depending on the nature of your complaint, outcomes may include an explanation or clarification of what happened and why, an apology where appropriate, corrective gardening work such as revisiting your property to address specific issues, an adjustment to future work plans, or a goodwill gesture where we consider this appropriate and proportionate.

We will always aim to be fair, reasonable, and transparent about any conclusions and actions taken. While we may not always be able to agree to every request, we will explain our reasoning clearly.

Escalating your complaint

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your formal complaint, you may request a further review. This will normally be carried out by a more senior person within Gardeners Malden Rushett who was not directly involved in the original matter, where possible. They will review how your complaint was handled, consider any additional information you provide, and decide whether the outcome should be upheld, changed, or supplemented.

The decision at this stage will normally be our final position on the matter. We will communicate this decision clearly and explain any further options that may be available to you, depending on the nature of the issue.

Your responsibilities as a customer

To help us resolve your complaint efficiently, we ask that you provide accurate and complete information, treat our team with courtesy and respect, and allow reasonable access to your garden or outside space where an inspection or remedial work is required. Prompt communication and cooperation from both sides will assist in achieving a fair outcome.

Confidentiality and data protection

All complaints are handled in confidence and with respect for your privacy. Information about your complaint will only be shared with those who need it in order to investigate and resolve the matter. Any personal data we hold will be managed in line with applicable data protection requirements.

Continuous improvement

We regularly review complaints and feedback to identify any patterns or recurring issues in our gardening services across the local area. This helps Gardeners Malden Rushett to improve training, work processes, communication, and service standards. By letting us know when things go wrong, you help us maintain a professional and dependable gardening service for all our customers.