Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners Complaints Procedure

Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners is committed to providing reliable and professional carpet and upholstery cleaning services. We recognise that, on occasion, customers may feel that our service has not met their expectations. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will handle it, and the standards you can expect from us throughout the process.

Scope of this Complaints Procedure

This procedure applies to all domestic and commercial customers who have used Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners for services such as carpet cleaning, rug cleaning, upholstery cleaning, end of tenancy cleaning, and related work within our service areas. It covers issues including, but not limited to, service quality, conduct of staff, scheduling problems, and billing concerns.

Our Commitment to You

We aim to resolve all complaints promptly, fairly, and consistently. We will always treat you with respect, listen carefully to your concerns, and aim to reach a practical and reasonable outcome. Your feedback helps us improve our processes and maintain high standards across our cleaning services.

How to Make a Complaint

You may raise a complaint as soon as you become aware of a problem with our cleaning services. Wherever possible, please provide the following information to help us understand and resolve the issue quickly:

1. Your full name and the property address where the service was carried out.
2. The date and approximate time of the service and, if known, the name of the cleaner or team involved.
3. A clear description of what went wrong, including any relevant details about the areas cleaned or the type of service provided.
4. Any supporting information, such as photographs or written notes about the condition of items or areas before and after cleaning.
5. Your preferred outcome, for example a re-clean of specific areas or a review of charges.

Complaints should be made in writing wherever possible so that we have a clear record of your concerns. If you initially raise an issue verbally, we may ask you to confirm it in writing so we can investigate thoroughly.

Timeframe for Raising a Complaint

We ask that you notify us of any concerns about our cleaning service as soon as reasonably possible, and preferably within 48 hours of the work being completed. This allows us to assess the situation while the details are still fresh and, if necessary, to revisit the property to inspect the work. Complaints raised later than this will still be considered, but it may limit the options available for inspection and resolution.

How We Will Handle Your Complaint

Once we receive your complaint, the following steps will normally apply:

1. Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge your complaint and confirm that it is being reviewed.
2. Initial Review: A member of our management team will review the details and may contact you to clarify any points or request additional information.
3. Investigation: We will investigate the matter, which may include speaking with the cleaner or team involved, reviewing job notes, and, where appropriate, arranging a visit to inspect the affected areas or items.
4. Response: After the investigation is complete, we will explain our findings and proposed outcome to you in clear, straightforward language.

Timeframe for Our Response

We aim to provide an initial response to your complaint within five working days. More complex complaints that require additional investigation may take longer to resolve. In such cases, we will let you know that more time is needed and give you an estimated timescale for a full reply.

Possible Outcomes and Remedies

Depending on the nature and findings of the investigation, possible outcomes may include:

1. An explanation or further information about what happened and why.
2. A re-clean of specific areas or items that did not meet the agreed standard, where appropriate and safe to do so.
3. A partial or full adjustment of charges where we consider it reasonable and justified.
4. An apology and confirmation of steps we will take to prevent a recurrence of the issue.

Any remedy offered will take into account the condition of carpets, rugs, or upholstery before cleaning, the type of fibres and materials, any pre-existing stains or damage, and the realistic results that can be achieved with professional cleaning.

When You Are Not Satisfied with the Outcome

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may request that it be reviewed by a different senior member of our team. During this review, we will re-examine the information and consider whether the original decision and remedy were fair, reasonable, and in line with our policies and industry standards.

After this internal review, we will provide a final response. At this stage, although we may not always be able to agree to the resolution you prefer, we will explain clearly how we reached our decision.

Matters Outside Our Control

While we make every effort to deliver excellent results, there are limitations inherent in carpet and upholstery cleaning. For example, some stains may be permanent, certain types of wear, fading, or damage cannot be reversed, and older or fragile fibres may react unpredictably to any cleaning process. We will always seek to inform you of such limitations in advance where they can be reasonably anticipated. Complaints relating solely to these inherent limitations may not result in a remedy, but we will always explain our reasoning.

Use of Your Information

All complaints are handled confidentially. Information you provide will be used only for the purposes of investigating and resolving your complaint, monitoring our service quality, and improving our training and procedures. We will keep records of complaints in line with our internal retention policies and applicable legal requirements.

Continuous Improvement

Every complaint is an opportunity for us to review and improve the way we work. We regularly review complaint trends to identify areas where additional training, revised procedures, or improved equipment may be required. Our goal is to deliver a consistently high standard of carpet and upholstery cleaning across our service areas and to ensure that, when things occasionally go wrong, they are put right as fairly and efficiently as possible.

This Complaints Procedure is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains clear, fair, and effective. The most recent version will always apply to how we handle your concerns.