In-house Complaints Procedure

This complaints procedure is exclusively for the use of our clients. If you are not a client of the firm and are unhappy with our conduct please see the separate Non-Client Complaints Procedure below.

We are committed to providing a professional service to all our clients and customers.  When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.

If you have a complaint, please put it in writing, including as much detail as possible. We will then respond in line with the timeframes set out below (if you feel we have not sought to address your complaints within eight weeks, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Property Ombudsman to consider without charge our final viewpoint on the matter).

What will happen next?

• We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of you complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
• We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally be dealt with by the office manager who will review your file and speak to the member of staff who dealt with you. A formal written outcome of our investigation will be sent to you within 15 working days of sending the acknowledgement letter.
• If, at this stage, you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a separate review to take place by a senior member of staff.
• We will write to you within 15 working days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final viewpoint on the matter.

If you remain dissatisfied, you can then contact The Property Ombudsman to request an independent review:

The Property Ombudsman Ltd
Milford House
43 45 Milford Street
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP1 2BP
01722 333306
www.tpos.co.uk

Please note the following:

You will need to submit your complaint to The Property Ombudsman within 12 months of receiving our final viewpoint letter, including any evidence to support your case.

The Property Ombudsman requires that all complaints are addressed through this in-house complaints procedure, before being submitted for an independent review.

Non-Client Complaints Procedure

If you believe that we have behaved dishonestly, illegally, in breach of the ARMA regulations or for some other reason you are dissatisfied with our conduct and you are not a client of this firm, you should raise the subject of your complaint with the person with whom you are dealing, or against whom the complaint is made, and if your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction at that level you should email info@eastbournelettings.com or write to us with details of your complaint as follows:

Director
Eastbourne Lettings
Suite 1, 22 Church Street
Eastbourne
BN21 1HS

The time limits for bringing a complaint to our attention are within six months of the event giving rise to your complaint, or within three months of you becoming aware of the circumstances giving rise to it, whichever is the later. If you wish to complain about our service after the expiry of these time limits you may still be able to make a complaint directly to the Property Ombudsman, but we will not be obliged in those circumstances to consider your complaint under this procedure and you should contact the Property Ombudsman to establish whether your complaint falls within the time limits of the Ombudsman’s scheme. Ordinarily, the time limit for making a complaint to the Property Ombudsman is one year from the act or omission complained of, or one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.