Complaints Procedure
We work hard to ensure you receive a high standard of service at all times, however if you do have a complaint about any aspect of our service, find out below how we will work with you to put things right.
If you are unhappy with any part of our service, please tell us. We will look into your complaint fairly and treat you with courtesy and respect throughout the process.
Your feedback helps us put matters right and improve the service we provide.
No customer will lose or receive a reduced service for raising a complaint in good faith.
Our Complaints Process
There are three stages to our complaints process.
Stage One: Raise your complaint
You can contact us by email, phone or post.
Email
info@smartchoiceholding.co.uk
info@smartchoicemetering.co.uk
Telephone
0333 443 2748
Post
Head of Compliance
Smart Choice Holding
Adamson House
Pomona Strand
Stretford
Manchester
M16 0TT
You can also raise a complaint with any Smart Choice employee or representative.
We accept complaints from customers, client representatives, landlords, tenants, occupiers, suppliers, subcontractors and anyone affected by our work.
What to include
Please give us as much detail as possible so we can investigate your complaint.
This may include:
- Your name and contact details
- The address of the property or site involved
- The date of the incident or service
- A clear description of the issue
- Any supporting evidence, where available
- The outcome you would like
You can appoint someone to act on your behalf.
What happens next
We will log your complaint, give it a reference number and acknowledge it within five working days.
The acknowledgement will include the name of the manager handling your complaint.
The relevant Contract Manager, Operations Manager or Departmental Manager will review the matter. This may include checking job records, photographs, bodycam footage, audit findings and speaking with employees, engineers, subcontractors or other people involved.
We may arrange a site visit where this is needed to establish the facts.
We aim to resolve complaints within 10 working days where possible. If the investigation takes longer, we will keep you updated.
We will give you a final written response within eight weeks of receiving your complaint.
Please note – some more complex issues may take longer to resolve and if we are unable to meet this timescale, we will contact you and advise on a new date for resolution, providing a reason for why this change is required.
Possible outcomes
After investigating your complaint, we may:
- Explain what happened
- Apologise
- Put right an identified issue
- Arrange further works
- Take steps to prevent the issue happening again
- Offer compensation where this is appropriate and authorised
- Reject the complaint where the evidence does not support it
We will normally provide the outcome in writing and discuss it with you by phone where possible.
Support for vulnerable customers
We will make reasonable adjustments for vulnerable customers. This helps keep the complaints process fair and accessible.
Stage Two: Escalate your complaint
If you are unhappy with our initial response, you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed by our Head of Compliance.
The Head of Compliance will carry out an independent review and provide Smart Choice Holding’s final response.
Email
Blair.Ashley@smartchoicemetering.co.uk
Post
Head of Compliance
Smart Choice Holding
Adamson House
Pomona Strand
Stretford
Manchester
M16 0TT
Where we cannot reach an agreement, we may issue a deadlock letter. This confirms our final position and explains your right to take the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
Stage Three: Independent review
Where Smart Choice is acting as an energy broker, introducer, third-party intermediary or adviser, eligible customers may refer their complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
You can do this when:
- Eight weeks have passed since you first raised the complaint and it remains unresolved
- You have received a deadlock letter from us
The Energy Ombudsman is free to use and acts independently.
The Ombudsman may ask us to:
- Apologise
- Explain what went wrong
- Take action to put matters right
- Make a financial award where appropriate
Energy Ombudsman contact details
Post
Energy Ombudsman
PO Box 966
Warrington
WA4 9DF
Telephone
0330 440 1624
Email
enquiry@energyombudsman.org
Our Commitment To Improve
All contacts are reviewed to help identify trends, training needs and opportunities for service improvement. This supports our commitment to continuous improvement and quality customer service. This policy is reviewed regularly to ensure compliance with applicable laws and guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office.
We handle complaint records in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Where we are
Address: Adamson House, Pomona Strand, Manchester, M16 0TT
Phone: 0333 4439 862
Email: info@smartchoicemetering.co.uk