Complaints Policy

EXCEL PARKING SERVICES LIMITED

CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS POLICY

INTRODUCTION

Excel Parking Services Limited recognises the importance of constructive complaints andwelcomes them as a valuable form of feedback about our products and services. We will use the information gained to help improve the quality of our services and our relationship with our clients and customers.

DEFINITIONS

Clients – Those people or companies who engage our services.
Customers – Those people using the services we provide.
Complaint – This policy covers complaints about the standard of our operational products or services. It does not cover appeals to Parking Charge Notices issued during the enforcement of parking terms and conditions. This is covered separately through the Appeals Process. Details of this are given on every parking charge notice and available from Head Office on request.

HOW COMPLAINTS ARE MADE

Client and Customer complaints can be made in writing by post or email. They may also be received by staff on sites who will offer instructions on how and where the complaint may be made.

COMPLAINT HANDLING

Service related complaints, including those against parking attendants and patrol officers will be handled by our Operations Administrators. Other types of complaints will be handled, as appropriate, by our Central Processing and Debt Recovery teams. Significant complaints will be escalated to a relevant Senior Manager for resolution.

TIMELY RESOLUTION

Our complaints administrators will process details of complaints and resolve them as soon as possible. In any event, complaints will be acknowledged within 14 calendar days from date of receipt (unless a full response has been provided sooner) and will be fully responded to within 28 calendar days. However, in the event that we need more time (for example because of the nature of investigations that are required), we will notify the complainant of this within the 28 day period and also include an expected date of resolution.

REPORTING AND RECORDING COMPLAINTS

Complaints will be logged in the Client/Customer Complaint Tracker. Details of the complaint, supporting information and the outcome will be recorded; mandatory details to be recorded will be:

a) date of complaint;

b) the complainant;

c) the complainant type (eg. PCN recipient, client, MP, Member of staff or other);

d) copy of complaint;

e) copy of all correspondence;

f) outcome;

g) details of corrective action required and undertaken to ensure the situation does not recur (where the complaint has merit).

Each month the complaints file will be reviewed by a Department Team Leader who will summarise complaints by type and number. Corrective action relating to complaints will be carried out and any preventative action be put in place where necessary.

Details of complaints will be retained for a minimum of 36 months and subject to GDPR considerations.

COMPLAINTS FROM MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (MPs)

In addition to the above requirements above, if we receive a complaint from an MP, we will:

i) upon resolution of the complaint, refer the MP to the MP portal on the IPC website, and

ii) include the following IPC recommended statement:

“We are members of the International Parking Community (IPC) Accredited Operator Scheme (AOS). The IPC is a DVLA Accredited Trade Association (ATA) and has a Code of Practice and an Independent Appeals Service (IAS) that allows a motorist access to an independent adjudication process on the lawfulness of Parking Charges issued by their members. An important condition of being an AOS member is that operators must adhere to The Code.

If you are not content with the response, we have provided you with, you can refer this to the IPC who will investigate and provide you with a response. To make this process as simple as possible the IPC has created a communication portal on their website https://theipc.info/login for you to use. They have created a username for all members of Parliament. Your username will be your email address. An email will have been sent with your login details. There is an option for you to reset your password if you are unable to login. If you have any issues, please contact the IPC via email on mp.enquiries@theipc.info.co.uk”

POLICY REVIEW

This policy is to be reviewed periodically for effectiveness and updated when necessary.