Gardeners Shadwell Complaints Procedure

Gardeners Shadwell is committed to providing reliable, professional gardening and outdoor maintenance services. We aim to deliver work that meets or exceeds your expectations on every visit. However, we recognise that on occasion you may feel that something has not gone as planned. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and what you can expect from us at every stage.

Our commitment to you

We take all feedback seriously and view complaints as an opportunity to improve the services we provide. When you raise a complaint with Gardeners Shadwell, we will aim to handle your concerns promptly, fairly, and with courtesy. We will listen carefully, investigate what has happened, and work with you toward a reasonable solution.

We will always strive to:

Respond to your complaint within a reasonable time frame.

Be open and honest about what went wrong, if we identify a mistake on our part.

Explain our findings clearly and in plain language.

Offer appropriate steps to put things right where possible.

What counts as a complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our gardening or maintenance services, our staff, or the way we have communicated with you, where you would like us to investigate and respond. This may include issues such as:

Concerns about the standard or quality of gardening work.

Issues with reliability, timing, or missed appointments.

Concerns regarding the behaviour or attitude of a member of our team.

Disagreements about what was agreed or how your outdoor space was left after our visit.

If you are unsure whether your concern is a complaint, please raise it with us anyway. We will let you know how best it can be handled.

How to make a complaint

You can raise a complaint in the way that is most convenient for you. We recommend that you put your concerns in writing wherever possible, as this helps us to understand the details clearly and keep an accurate record.

When you submit a complaint to Gardeners Shadwell, please include the following information so we can investigate efficiently:

Your full name.

The address where the gardening work was carried out.

The date or dates of the service you are complaining about.

A clear description of what has gone wrong or what you are unhappy with.

Any steps you have already taken to raise the issue informally with our team.

What you would like us to do to resolve the matter, if you have a preferred outcome.

Providing as much detail as possible, including any relevant dates or descriptions of work completed, helps us to review your concerns thoroughly and respond more quickly.

Informal resolution

In many cases, issues can be resolved quickly and informally. If you are comfortable doing so, please raise the matter as soon as possible with the gardener attending your property or with the person who arranged your booking. They may be able to address the problem on the spot, for example by revisiting an area of your garden, clarifying what was agreed, or scheduling a follow-up visit.

If you feel that your concern has not been addressed informally, or if the issue is more serious or ongoing, you should use the formal complaints process set out below.

Formal complaints process

Once we receive your formal complaint, we will record it in our complaints log and begin our investigation. Our process usually follows these steps:

First acknowledgement. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within a reasonable time. At this stage, we may ask you for any additional information we need.

Investigation. We will review the details of your complaint. This may include speaking to the gardener or team members involved, reviewing job notes and schedules, and where appropriate, arranging to revisit your property to view the work in question.

Response. After the investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written response. This response will explain our understanding of your complaint, the steps we have taken to investigate, our findings, and any actions we propose to take to resolve the matter.

Resolution. Where we agree that our service fell below the standard you should expect, we will discuss appropriate remedies with you. Depending on the circumstances, this may include further gardening work, a correction of previous work, or another form of practical resolution.

Time frames

We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Simple matters may be resolved within a few days. More complex concerns, especially those requiring site visits or detailed review of work carried out over a longer period, may take longer to investigate. If our investigation is likely to take longer than usual, we will keep you informed of our progress and let you know when you can expect a full response.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome

Our aim is to reach a fair and reasonable outcome that takes into account both your concerns and the practical aspects of our gardening services. If, after receiving our formal response, you feel that your complaint has not been addressed properly, you may ask us to review the decision.

When requesting a review, please explain why you are unhappy with the outcome and specify any points you feel have not been considered. A different person, where possible someone not involved in the original investigation, will review your complaint, our handling of it, and the response you received.

After the review, we will provide you with a final written response. This will confirm whether the original decision is upheld or modified and set out any additional steps we are prepared to take.

Recording and learning from complaints

All complaints received by Gardeners Shadwell are recorded and monitored. We use this information to identify any patterns or recurring issues in our gardening work, customer service, or communications. By reviewing complaints regularly, we can improve our training, update our procedures, and enhance the reliability and quality of the services we provide to our clients.

We value the feedback that complaints provide and see them as an important part of continually improving our gardening and maintenance services.

Confidentiality and data protection

We handle all complaints in confidence and only share information with those who need it in order to investigate and resolve the matter. Any personal information you provide during the complaints process will be handled in line with our data protection obligations and used solely for the purpose of managing and responding to your complaint.

By following this Complaints Procedure, Gardeners Shadwell aims to ensure that every concern is treated seriously, investigated thoroughly, and resolved fairly, helping us to maintain a high standard of service for all our customers.