Complaints Procedure for Chelsea House Clearance

This complaints procedure explains how clients and members of the public can raise concerns about services provided by Chelsea House Clearance and its associated rubbish removal and waste clearance teams. It sets out the scope, the steps we follow, expected timescales and the ways we seek to resolve issues fairly. The policy applies to all aspects of our clearance service operations, including house clearances, garden waste removal, office clearance and bulky item collection across our service area.

We are committed to delivering a reliable clearance service and to handling any complaint with professionalism and respect. Our approach is based on three key principles: accessibility, responsiveness and impartiality. We encourage customers to tell us about service problems so we can put things right quickly and improve future house clearance and rubbish removal work.

Complaints can relate to many aspects of a clearance job: missed appointments, damage during a removal, unsatisfactory disposal of items, charges or billing disputes, or concerns about team behaviour. We accept complaints from clients, property owners and authorised representatives, and we will consider each report based on the facts and available evidence. Please note this document is a procedural policy and does not include legal guidance or specific contact details.

How to Raise a Complaint

We encourage an informal approach first: if something goes wrong, please raise it with the crew on site or with the person who initially booked the service so that we can attempt to rectify the issue straight away. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, you may submit a formal complaint. When making a formal complaint, provide clear details so we can investigate efficiently. We aim to make the process straightforward and accessible to all clients across our clearance region.

What to Include in Your Complaint

To help us investigate, please include as much of the following information as you can:

• Date and time of the clearance job or incident.
• Location where the work took place (street or area is acceptable).
• Job reference or quotation number if available.
• Names of staff involved or vehicle registration if known.
• Photographs, receipts or invoices that support your concern.
• A clear statement of what outcome you are seeking.

Providing precise information helps our clearance coordinators and waste management team review the matter quickly and accurately.

Upon receipt of a formal complaint we will acknowledge it promptly, usually within three working days. An initial assessment will identify which team is best placed to investigate — this may be our site operations, customer service, or our environmental compliance unit. We endeavour to complete a full investigation and provide a substantive response within 20 working days. If the investigation requires more time due to complexity, we will update you with the expected timescale.

Investigation process: our investigation will collect statements from staff, review job records, inspect any photographic evidence and, when appropriate, arrange an on-site inspection. The investigator will consider whether company procedures were followed, whether any breach of our service standards occurred, and what remedial action is appropriate. We may offer one or more of the following outcomes: an explanation and apology, a repeat of the service at no additional charge, a partial or full refund, or remedial work to repair damage where applicable.

We aim to be transparent about the outcome. A final written response will set out the findings and any actions we will take. Where a complaint uncovers a systemic problem, we will review operational procedures, training and contractor oversight to prevent recurrence. Records of complaints and responses are retained to support continuous improvement of our house clearance and rubbish disposal services.

Where a complainant remains dissatisfied after our final response, we will outline available escalation options within our own governance structure. This may include further internal review by senior management or referral to an industry ombudsman or third-party mediator where appropriate. We aim to resolve disputes proportionately and without unnecessary delay, and we will provide a clear explanation of next steps if you wish to pursue escalation.

Confidentiality and fairness: we treat all complaints confidentially and ensure that neither the complainant nor employees face unfair disadvantage as a result of making or receiving a complaint. Personal data disclosed during a complaint is handled in accordance with applicable data protection standards and retained only for the period required to address the complaint and to support service improvement.

Monitoring and learning: complaints are a key source of intelligence about performance. We regularly review complaint trends and publish internal reports to guide training, equipment upgrades and contractor management. Our objective is to learn from each case and strengthen the quality and reliability of our clearance, rubbish removal and waste management services.

Time limits: while we accept complaints at any reasonable time, we encourage prompt notification of issues so evidence remains available and memories are fresh. Where special circumstances exist, we will consider late complaints on a case-by-case basis. This procedure is designed to be fair, straightforward and focused on achieving practical resolutions that restore confidence in our clearance services.

Reviewing our procedure: we periodically review this complaints procedure to ensure it remains effective and aligned with best practice in the waste and clearance sector. Changes are made where they improve responsiveness, transparency or the quality of outcomes.

We are committed to resolving complaints constructively and using what we learn to provide a better, more reliable house clearance and rubbish removal service across our operational area.