Hire Man and Van Complaints Procedure

This complaints procedure explains how Hire Man and Van manages and resolves complaints about our removals and man and van services. We are committed to dealing with any concerns promptly, fairly and consistently, and to using feedback to improve our services for all customers.

Our Commitment to You

We aim to provide reliable and professional moving services, from small local moves to larger removals. If something goes wrong, we want to know about it so we can put it right where possible and prevent similar issues in future. All complaints are treated seriously and handled with respect and confidentiality.

We will always seek to:

Listen carefully to your concerns and understand what has happened from your perspective, acknowledge your complaint and explain the next steps, investigate the matter thoroughly and objectively, keep you updated on the progress of your complaint, provide a clear response with our findings and any proposed resolution, and learn from complaints to improve our processes and staff training.

What Is a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our service, whether justified or not, which requires a response. This may relate to issues such as service quality, conduct of team members, timekeeping, handling of belongings, communication before or during the move, or invoicing and charges.

We encourage you to raise any issue as soon as possible so it can be looked into while details are still fresh and records easily available.

How to Make a Complaint

You can raise a complaint using any method that is convenient for you. To help us investigate quickly and accurately, please provide the following information when you contact us: your full name, the date of your move or booking, a clear description of what went wrong, including any relevant timings, locations or vehicle details, details of any items that may have been damaged or lost, and what outcome or resolution you are seeking, if known.

We recommend raising concerns in writing so there is a clear record of your complaint and the issues you wish us to review.

Stage One: Initial Resolution

In many cases, issues can be resolved informally and quickly. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service on the day of your move, please speak to the team leader on site if it is safe and reasonable to do so. They may be able to resolve the matter immediately.

If the concern cannot be resolved on the day, or you only become aware of a problem afterwards, please contact our office within a reasonable time. Our team will acknowledge your complaint and may request further information or photographs where appropriate, particularly for issues related to damage or loss of items.

We will aim to provide an initial response as quickly as possible, usually within a few working days. Where the issue is straightforward, we may be able to offer a resolution at this stage.

Stage Two: Formal Investigation

If your complaint cannot be resolved informally, or if you request a formal review, it will be escalated to a manager for investigation. At this stage we will:

Confirm that we have received your complaint and set out how we will handle it, review booking records, job sheets, photographs and any logs related to your move, speak with the staff involved and, where relevant, consider any third party information, assess whether our service met our internal standards and contractual obligations, and consider possible remedies where we find that our service has fallen short.

We aim to complete the formal investigation and provide a written outcome within a reasonable timeframe. If the matter is complex or requires more detailed enquiries, we will keep you informed of delays and expected timescales.

Possible Outcomes and Remedies

After investigating your complaint, we will provide a clear response that sets out: what we have investigated, what we have found, whether the complaint is upheld in full, in part, or not upheld, and what actions we propose to take.

Depending on the circumstances and subject to our terms of business, remedies may include an explanation or apology, corrective actions on internal processes or staff training, practical steps to resolve any ongoing service issues, or financial remedies where appropriate and justified. Each case will be considered on its individual facts and in line with our contractual and legal responsibilities.

Escalating Your Complaint

If you remain dissatisfied after our formal investigation, you may request a further review. You should explain which aspects of our decision you disagree with and provide any additional information you would like us to consider. A more senior member of our team will review the handling of your complaint, the evidence considered, and the decision that was made. We will then confirm our final position.

Once our internal process has been completed and a final response issued, we may be unable to consider further correspondence about the same points unless new and relevant information becomes available.

Timescales for Raising Complaints

We encourage you to report any concerns as soon as possible and, in any event, within a reasonable period after the service has been provided. Delays in reporting may limit our ability to investigate, particularly in relation to access to properties, vehicles or staff recollections, and may affect the options available for resolution.

Respectful Communication

We are committed to treating all customers with courtesy and respect, and we expect the same in return. We understand that moving can be stressful and that complaints may be raised in difficult circumstances. However, we will not tolerate abusive, threatening or discriminatory language or behaviour towards our staff. Where communication is unreasonable, we may limit the channels or frequency of contact while still fulfilling our obligations to investigate and respond.

Using Feedback to Improve Our Service

Every complaint is an opportunity for us to review how we work and to make improvements where needed. We regularly assess complaint trends to identify recurring issues in our removals and man and van operations, such as scheduling, communication or handling practices, and we use this information to refine our procedures, update staff guidance and enhance training.

By following this complaints procedure, Hire Man and Van aims to ensure that any concerns about our local and regional moving services are handled fairly, transparently and with the aim of reaching a reasonable outcome for everyone involved.