Compliments and complaints

How Can I Complain?
You may complain by telephone, by personal visit or in writing. You may also use the complaints form on our website or e-mail us at complaints@enfield.gov.uk

Your Complaints

Enfield Council aims to provide services of high quality. We are always looking to improve our services. Your complaints can help us to do this.

We want to get things right but sometimes they go wrong. We hope to be able to settle complaints quickly and informally at your first point of contact. Where this is not possible, the rest of this section explains what you should do. Making a complaint will not put you at a disadvantage now or in the future. Each service has its own complaints procedures but certain standards are common to all.

What Can I Complain About?

A complaint may be about delay, lack of response, discourtesy, failure to consult or about the standard of service you have received - in fact anything that leaves you dissatisfied with the Council's conduct. You may want to complain if you think:
we have not treated you fairly or politely
we have not done something we should have done
we have done something badly
However, there are some types of complaint that will not be handled in the way outlined in this section, for example:
where you want to complain about a school (please contact the school direct)
where special procedures apply by law (e.g. Social Services) - please contact 020 8379 3942 for further details
where legal proceedings are involved
where you have a separate right of appeal (e.g. Housing Benefits, disputes over parking tickets and school admissions)

You will be told as soon as possible if the Complaints procedure is not the best way to deal with the issue you have raised.

Can Anyone Else Help?

You may feel that you want help from other people to make a complaint.
You may contact your local Councillor or Member of Parliament.
You may contact the Citizen's Advice Bureau:
and other voluntary organisations who may be able to advise you or take up the complaint on your behalf.
Contact Customer Services on 020 8379 1000 for useful addresses and phone numbers.

A relative or friend may be able to help you. They can complain for you, or come with you when you make a complaint.
You may wish to approach a professional expert e.g. lawyer, to help you with your complaint, but please be aware that you may have to pay for this.

What happens when I Complain?

There can be up to three stages when you make a complaint.

Stage 1
First, you should contact the person dealing with the matter. If you are not sure who you need to speak to, use the contact details below, or consult the Council's A - Z of Services or phone Customer Services on 020 8379 1000. We will reply within 15 working days of receiving your complaint. If you are unhappy with our response, you can ask for your complaint to be investigated at Stage 2.

Stage 2
A senior manager will review your complaint and respond to you within 15 working days of receiving your complaint. If you are unhappy with the response, you can ask for your complaint to be investigated at Stage 3.

Stage 3
The Chief Executive will arrange for an independent investigation of your complaint by a senior officer in the Council who does not work in the service your complaint is about. The Chief Executive will write to you with his decision within 30 working days of receiving your complaint.

What Can I Do If I Am Still Not Satisfied?

We hope our complaints procedure will help you to sort out quickly and successfully any problems you may have with the way our services are provided. But if you are still not satisfied, you have the right to ask the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate your complaint.
A leaflet on the Ombudsman's Complaints Service is available at the Civic Centre Customer Services Reception and all local libraries. Please remember that the Ombudsman will usually expect you to have exhausted the Council's complaints scheme before they will investigate your complaint. The Local Government Ombudsman's address is:
10th Floor
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Telephone 020 7217 4620
Fax 020 7217 4621
General email: enquiries.london@lgo.org.uk
Website: www.lgo.gov.uk

Please Note: Calls may be recorded

Customer Services - 020 8379 1000
Textphone - 020 8379 4419
English Complaints - 020 8379 1839
French Complaints - 020 8379 1838
Romanian Complaints - 020 8379 1835
Turkish Complaints - 020 8379 1836
Somali Complaints - 020 8379 1837
Bengali Complaints - 020 8379 1843
Albanian Complaints - 020 8379 1842
Polish Complaints - 020 8379 1840
Farsi Complaints - 020 8379 1841
Tape for blind or partially-sighted people - 020 8379 4052

Fill in an online complaint form

This document was last updated on 2007-12-21 10:06:14 published by the Revenues and Benefits team. Document Reference:LBE_114466

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Directory: Home About Enfield Enfield events calendar Advice and benefits Business Community and living Council and democracy Education and learning Environment and planning Health and social care Housing Jobs and careers Leisure and culture Transport and streets Emergencies Contact us: Ask us a question Civic Centre Silver Street Enfield EN1 3XY Telephone: 020 8379 1000 Fax: 020 8379 4453 Textphone: 020 8379 4419 Note: Calls may be recorded. How to find us	A to Z of Services: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z .Translation. Compliments and complaints How Can I Complain? You may complain by telephone, by personal visit or in writing. You may also use the complaints form on our website or e-mail us at complaints@enfield.gov.uk Your Complaints Enfield Council aims to provide services of high quality. We are always looking to improve our services. Your complaints can help us to do this. We want to get things right but sometimes they go wrong. We hope to be able to settle complaints quickly and informally at your first point of contact. Where this is not possible, the rest of this section explains what you should do. Making a complaint will not put you at a disadvantage now or in the future. Each service has its own complaints procedures but certain standards are common to all. What Can I Complain About? A complaint may be about delay, lack of response, discourtesy, failure to consult or about the standard of service you have received - in fact anything that leaves you dissatisfied with the Council's conduct. You may want to complain if you think: we have not treated you fairly or politely we have not done something we should have done we have done something badly However, there are some types of complaint that will not be handled in the way outlined in this section, for example: where you want to complain about a school (please contact the school direct) where special procedures apply by law (e.g. Social Services) - please contact 020 8379 3942 for further details where legal proceedings are involved where you have a separate right of appeal (e.g. Housing Benefits, disputes over parking tickets and school admissions) You will be told as soon as possible if the Complaints procedure is not the best way to deal with the issue you have raised. Can Anyone Else Help? You may feel that you want help from other people to make a complaint. You may contact your local Councillor or Member of Parliament. You may contact the Citizen's Advice Bureau: and other voluntary organisations who may be able to advise you or take up the complaint on your behalf. Contact Customer Services on 020 8379 1000 for useful addresses and phone numbers. A relative or friend may be able to help you. They can complain for you, or come with you when you make a complaint. You may wish to approach a professional expert e.g. lawyer, to help you with your complaint, but please be aware that you may have to pay for this. What happens when I Complain? There can be up to three stages when you make a complaint. Stage 1 First, you should contact the person dealing with the matter. If you are not sure who you need to speak to, use the contact details below, or consult the Council's A - Z of Services or phone Customer Services on 020 8379 1000. We will reply within 15 working days of receiving your complaint. If you are unhappy with our response, you can ask for your complaint to be investigated at Stage 2. Stage 2 A senior manager will review your complaint and respond to you within 15 working days of receiving your complaint. If you are unhappy with the response, you can ask for your complaint to be investigated at Stage 3. Stage 3 The Chief Executive will arrange for an independent investigation of your complaint by a senior officer in the Council who does not work in the service your complaint is about. The Chief Executive will write to you with his decision within 30 working days of receiving your complaint. What Can I Do If I Am Still Not Satisfied? We hope our complaints procedure will help you to sort out quickly and successfully any problems you may have with the way our services are provided. But if you are still not satisfied, you have the right to ask the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate your complaint. A leaflet on the Ombudsman's Complaints Service is available at the Civic Centre Customer Services Reception and all local libraries. Please remember that the Ombudsman will usually expect you to have exhausted the Council's complaints scheme before they will investigate your complaint. The Local Government Ombudsman's address is: 10th Floor Millbank Tower Millbank London SW1P 4QP Telephone 020 7217 4620 Fax 020 7217 4621 General email: enquiries.london@lgo.org.uk Website: www.lgo.gov.uk Contact Us Please Note: Calls may be recorded Customer Services - 020 8379 1000 Textphone - 020 8379 4419 English Complaints - 020 8379 1839 French Complaints - 020 8379 1838 Romanian Complaints - 020 8379 1835 Turkish Complaints - 020 8379 1836 Somali Complaints - 020 8379 1837 Bengali Complaints - 020 8379 1843 Albanian Complaints - 020 8379 1842 Polish Complaints - 020 8379 1840 Farsi Complaints - 020 8379 1841 Tape for blind or partially-sighted people - 020 8379 4052 Fill in an online complaint form This document was last updated on 2007-12-21 10:06:14 published by the Revenues and Benefits team. Document Reference:LBE_114466
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