Complaints Procedure

Gardeners New Malden Complaints Procedure

Gardeners New Malden is committed to providing reliable, high quality gardening and grounds maintenance services. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. When this happens, we want to know about it so that we can put matters right promptly and improve our services. This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern, how we will handle it, and what you can expect from us at every stage.

Purpose of This Complaints Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a clear and fair process for customers who wish to make a complaint about any aspect of our gardening work or customer service. It applies to all domestic and commercial clients who use Gardeners New Malden for lawn care, planting, hedge trimming, garden tidy ups, regular maintenance or other related services. Our aim is to resolve issues as quickly and informally as possible, and to learn from feedback so that we can continue to improve.

What We Class as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services, staff, communication or the way we have handled a previous enquiry. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following situations:

Work not carried out to the expected standard, such as lawn, beds or borders not completed as agreed.

Services provided that do not match what was quoted or scheduled.

Damage to property, plants, lawns, garden structures or external areas during our visit.

Missed appointments or persistent lateness without reasonable explanation.

Poor communication, including failure to respond to messages within a reasonable time.

Concerns about the conduct, behaviour or attitude of any member of our team.

If you are unsure whether your concern counts as a complaint, we encourage you to raise it with us and we will guide you through the next steps.

How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in writing or verbally. Written complaints help us keep an accurate record, but we will accept and consider all complaints made in good faith. When raising a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible, including:

Your name and preferred method of contact.

The service address where the gardening work took place.

The date and approximate time of the visit or issue.

A clear description of what went wrong and how it has affected you or your property.

Any photographs, notes, invoices or other information that may help us understand the situation.

Whether you have already spoken to a member of our team about the issue.

The outcome you would consider to be a fair resolution, where possible.

We encourage you to raise your complaint as soon as possible after the event so that details remain clear and the issue can be addressed promptly.

Our Complaints Handling Stages

We handle all complaints in a structured way to ensure consistency and fairness.

Initial response

Once we receive your complaint, we will acknowledge it within a reasonable timeframe. Where possible, we will attempt to resolve straightforward issues immediately or within a short period by discussing the matter with you and, if appropriate, arranging a return visit to inspect the garden or outdoor area.

Investigation

If your complaint requires further investigation, it will be reviewed by a manager or senior member of the Gardeners New Malden team. They may contact you for more information, request photographs, and speak with any gardeners who attended your property. We aim to complete this investigation within a reasonable period, depending on the complexity of the issue and our ability to access the property or garden.

Proposed resolution

After investigating, we will explain our findings and any actions we propose to take. These may include:

Carrying out remedial gardening work, such as redoing a lawn cut, hedge trim or planting.

Repairing or replacing damaged items where appropriate.

Adjusting an invoice or issuing a partial or full credit in justified cases.

Clarifying our terms, schedules or scope of work to avoid future misunderstandings.

In some cases, we may explain why we believe the service was delivered as agreed, but we will always do so respectfully and with reference to the information gathered.

Timeframes for Handling Complaints

We aim to acknowledge complaints promptly and to keep you updated while we review the matter. Many gardening concerns can be resolved quickly, especially if they relate to a recent visit. More complex complaints, especially those involving plant health, garden design or alleged damage, may take longer as they may require site visits or monitoring over time.

Where we anticipate a delay, we will let you know and provide an estimated timescale for our full response. Our goal is always to reach a fair and practical outcome without unnecessary delay.

What We Ask From You

To help us handle your complaint effectively, we ask that you:

Provide accurate and complete information about the issue.

Allow us reasonable access to the garden or grounds so we can inspect the problem.

Communicate with our team politely and allow us time to investigate properly.

Consider any reasonable solutions we propose, including follow up visits or remedial work.

By working together, we can usually resolve matters in a way that restores your confidence in our gardening services.

Escalation of Your Complaint

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint at the first stage, you may ask for it to be reviewed by a more senior member of Gardeners New Malden. They will consider the original complaint, the steps already taken and any additional information you wish to provide. After this further review, we will confirm our final position. This internal escalation process is designed to ensure that your concerns are looked at fairly and from more than one perspective.

Using Complaints to Improve Our Services

We treat all complaints as an opportunity to improve the quality, reliability and safety of our gardening work. Where appropriate, we may use information from complaints to update staff training, review our schedules, refine our quotations or adjust our methods. Feedback from local customers, whether positive or negative, helps us deliver better results for gardens and outdoor spaces across the area we serve.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Your complaint will be handled in confidence and only shared within Gardeners New Malden with staff who need to know in order to investigate and resolve the matter. We will store information about your complaint securely and only for as long as necessary, in line with our general data protection practices. We will not share your personal information with third parties for marketing or unrelated purposes as a result of you making a complaint.

Review of This Complaints Procedure

This Complaints Procedure is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains clear, fair and effective. We may update it from time to time to reflect changes in our services or in relevant legal or industry guidance. The version published here is the current procedure that applies to all complaints relating to Gardeners New Malden.