Customer Care & Complaints Policy
Customer Care Policy
SOCOTEC Building Control Limited recognise that the key to our success and the maintenance of a quality building control industry is to provide a high standard of customer service.
We are fully committed in our pursuit of a quality service and to monitor and improve that service, as our customers deserve.
Measures we have in place include:
- Setting and monitoring of operational targets in line with industry wide standards.
- Having a dedicated Technical Manager.
- Full signup to industry Key Performance indicators.
- Issuing Customer Satisfaction online questionnaire on completion of all projects including our Net Promoter Score.
- Setting challenging goals for staff within a framework of best practice.
- Ensuring senior management maintain an open door policy for all staff.
- Companywide focus on customer needs with constant review of practices and procedures in light of client feedback and suggestions.
- Increasing use made of new technology to improve internal and external client contact and working practices.
- Fully registered to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 with regular internal and external auditing of procedures, technical decisions and site Inspections.
- Representation on national organisation committees such as ABCA to share information on best practice, quality issues and developments.
- All staff are supported in the aim of lifetime learning and are expected to achieve minimum CPD for their professional institution.
- Bound by the Operational Standards Rules for England and Wales issued by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
- Individual client contact is directed through a project manager ensuring close working relationships.
- Cyber Essentials Plus membership and Data Protection Act compliance.
Complaints Policy
Introduction
SOCOTEC Building Control Limited is committed to the provision of high-quality services that meet the needs and expectations of our customers. We recognise, however, that there may be a situation where you feel dissatisfied with an aspect of our service. We are committed to investigating any issues raised with us in a fair, timely and transparent manner All complaints will be investigated thoroughly and, where justified, appropriate corrective actions will be taken in accordance with our procedures. Our aim is to resolve complaints to the satisfaction of the complainant wherever possible.
What is a Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA)?
Registered Building Control Approvers are bodies authorised under the Building Act 1984 to carry out building control work in England and Wales. RBCAs are required to adhere to the Building Safety Regulator's Standard Operational Rules and to follow the associated RBCA Code of Conduct in their working practices.
The role of building control is to act as an independent third-party check and RBCAs and Registered Building Inspectors (RBIs) are required to take such steps as are reasonable to enable the RBI to be satisfied, within the limits of professional skill and care that the applicable aspects of the Building Regulations are complied with. With all building work, the Person Carrying out the Work is responsible for complying with the Building Regulations.
What Complaints are we unable to deal with?
There are certain matters that fall outside the scope of our responsibilities as an RBCA. We are therefore unable to assist with complaints that relate to the following:
- Quality of workmanship or building warranty items;
- Contractor behavior on site e.g. noise levels, hours of works, site cleanliness, scaffolding permits, etc.;
- Boundary disputes and party wall matters;
- Matters relating to Planning applications; and/or
- Health & Safety issues (an RBCA has no enforcement powers in this area).
If SOCOTEC Building Control receives a complaint regarding any of the above matters we will respond and advise you on the appropriate organisation or authority to which your complaint should be directed.
How to Register a Concern
Please contact the RBI responsible for your project with your initial concerns. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction following this initial contact, you should proceed by following the formal complaints process outlined in the next section.
How to Register a Formal Complaint
- Please register your formal complaint by completing a complaint form available here or by contacting:
Marian Allcott, SOCOTEC Building Control Limited, Unit 7, Silkwood Park, Fryers Way, Wakefield WF5 9TJ, Email: marian.allcott@socotec.co.uk
Where the complaint is initially made by telephone, we will ask you to provide a summary using the complaint form to ensure we have the necessary information to properly assess and investigate your complaint.
- We will acknowledge receipt of written details of any formal complaint within three working days.
- We aim to contact you within 21 working days of receipt to confirm our understanding of the issue, provide you with the outcome of our investigation, and describe any action that will be taken. If we require any additional information or clarification, we will contact you in this period to request it. If we cannot conclude our investigation within this period, we will let you know the reasons why and provide you with a timeline of when we expect to be able to complete our investigation and notify you of the outcome. If we consider no further action is to be taken, we will close the complaint, however, should further information become available you may submit this for a further review.
- If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the initial investigation you may escalate the matter by contacting:-
Tracy Robinson – Operations Director SOCOTEC Building Control Limited, The Mill, Station Road, Colchester, CO7 7RS&, Email: tracy.robinson@socotec.co.uk
An appeal review will be conducted within 21 working days of receiving your escalation request. We will write to you to inform you of the outcome of this review.
- If you remain dissatisfied and consider that you have fully exhausted our complaints process, you may refer your complaint to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
Telephone: 0300 790 6787, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-the-building-safety-regulator
SOCOTEC Building Control Limited is committed to delivering services of the highest standard and to maintaining a transparent, fair, and effective complaints process.
We value all feedback as an opportunity to learn and improve. Complaints are reviewed regularly to identify trends, root causes, and opportunities for corrective and preventive actions, in line with our commitment to continual improvement and compliance with ISO 9001:2015.
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with us.
Disclaimer
This policy has been developed for SOCOTEC Building Control Limited and applies across all schemes, services, and operations under its control. This policy also remains applicable to the standalone legal entities of QAI Services Limited and Shore Engineering Limited, where relevant, and recognises their continued existence as distinct legal entities.
In instances where policies reference SOCOTEC Building Control Limited they should be interpreted as extending to QAI Services Limited and Shore Engineering Limited in respect of their individual business operations. Any variations due to regulatory, operational, or contractual differences between SOCOTEC Building Control Limited, QAI Services Limited and Shore Engineering Limited will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
This policy collectively ensures all governance, compliance, and quality management standards are consistently upheld within SOCOTEC Building Control Limited and, where relevant, within QAI Services Limited and Shore Engineering Limited.
