SIGNPOSTS
Howtocomplain.com
aims to facilitate every type
of valid consumer complaint and register it at the correct point
of contact, even when you, the consumer, are not sure who the
relevant service/product provider is.
'Signposts'
is aimed at helping consumers identify who
they should be making a complaint against when it is not obvious.
For example, if your baggage doesn’t appear on the luggage carrousel
at the airport, do you complain to the airline, the baggage handlers,
or the airport authority?
To help in this process,
we detail in the following two sections,
major life events and
day-to-day events, common
events that may give rise to complaints. If
you are not sure to whom you should address your complaint, you
can browse through the events listed below and click on the 
icon to take you to the relevant complaints procedures page.
- Major
life events - these are
for those big, occasional but very important events, such as getting
married, buying a house or a car. Whilst these events happen infrequently,
any glitch can be a major problem or headache.
- Day-to-day
events - Sources of frustration
from your day-to-day business. We list in this section the most
common type of complaints, where the service/product provider
is not immediately obvious.
If you are stuck and
can't find what you're looking for here then send an e-mail to enquiries@howtocomplain.com
and we will be happy to help point you in the right direction.
Listed below are some
of the most common major life events. Identify the appropriate event
for your complaint and we will guide you to the relevant procedures
page.
DAY-TO-DAY
EVENTS
Listed below are some
of the most common major day to day events. Identify the appropriate
event for your complaint and we will guide you to the relevant procedures
page.
The above list is not
100% comprehensive though a useful way of accessing many of the
companies and agencies that we already cover on line. Don’t forget
that if you know the name of the company
or agency about whom you wish to complain, you can acccess
them directly by filling in the 'complain to' box at the top left
of this page.
Education
Tests/Exams:
For concerns about the
frequency of tests, the marks awarded or the fairness of the
system overall.
Finding
the right course/college: If you were wrongly advised on
the options open to you in terms of choice of education establishment,
and/or the particular course on offer.
Standards
of education: If you wish to complain about the quality
of education provided by a particular establishment.
Behaviour
and bullying: If you wish to complain about behavioural
standards or bullying.
Making
ends meet: If you wish to complain about the cost of a course,
or about a grant or loan given to support education.
Discrimination:
For concerns about discrimination in the classroom or playground.
Getting
a Job
Finding
the right job: If you wish to complain about advice given
in finding the right job.
Your
statutory rights: If you wish to complain about employment
conditions.
The
wrong boss: If you wish to complain about the behaviour
or attitudes of someone above you in your company, including
your boss.
Discrimination:
For concerns about discrimination in a job application or
interview.
Buying
a Home or Moving House
Estate
agents and finding the right home: If you wish to complain
about the service or advice given to you by estate agents.
Securing
a mortgage: If you wish to complain about the cost or service
provided by a mortgage supplier.
Lawyers
and professional advice: If you wish to complain about the
cost, service or attitudes of professional advisers.
Moving:
If you wish to complain about the cost or service of removal
services (including any damage they may have caused).
Insurance:
If you wish to complain about cost, service or attitudes to
you when looking to take out insurance.
Getting
workmen in: If you wish to complain about any aspect of
home construction, repair or improvement.
Buying
or Servicing a Car
Salesmen
and finding the right car: If you wish to complain about
the service or advice given to you in selecting the appropriate
vehicle.
Cost:
If you wish to complain about any aspect of the purchase cost
of the vehicle.
Reliability:
If you wish to complain about the reliability and/or maintenance
cost of the vehicle.
Servicing:
If you wish to complain about repair work or servicing.
Insurance:
If you wish to complain about the service or advice given to
you, or the cost of, motor insurance.
Getting
Married
The
ceremony: If you wish to complain about the service or advice
given to you either in the arrangement or conduct of the marriage
ceremony and reception.
Wedding
gifts: If you wish to complain about the service or advice
given to you in organising and receiving wedding gifts.
The
honeymoon: If you wish to complain about the service, advice
or costs related to your honeymoon.
Having
a Baby
Antenatal
care and advice: If you wish to complain about the service,
advice or costs of antenatal care.
The
birth: If you wish to complain about the service, advice
or costs related to the birth of your child.
After
the birth: If you wish to complain about the service, advice
or costs related to care of you and your child in the period
after the birth.
Your
baby and your work: If you wish to complain about the attitude
of your employer around the birth of your child (maternity leave,
glass ceilings, and the like).
Financial
assistance: If you wish to complain about the service or
advice given in terms of researching and applying for financial
assistance.
Going
on Holiday
Salesmen
and finding the right holiday: If you wish to complain about
the service or advice given to you in selecting the appropriate
holiday.
Getting
to/from the destination: If you wish to complain about the
service or costs related to going to/from home and your final
holiday destination.
Passport/Visa
problems: If you wish to complain about the service or costs
related to getting a passport or visa.
The
holiday accommodation and its facilities: If you wish to
complain about the service, advice or costs related to the holiday
accommodation.
Your
family and health issues: If you wish to complain about
the service, advice or costs related to care of you and your
family whilst away.
Foreign
currency, traveller's cheques and insurance: If you wish
to complain about the service, advice or costs related to the
financial services element of your holiday.
Retirement
Healthcare:
If you wish to complain about the service, advice or costs related
to the care of you or an elderly relative.
Your
pension and other investments: If you wish to complain about
the service, advice or costs related to your financial well
being.
State
benefits and other entitlements: If you wish to complain
about the service, advice or costs related to researching and
applying for statutory entitlements.
Accommodation
including retirement homes: If you wish to complain about
the service, advice or costs related to the provision of appropriate
accommodation for the elderly.
Bereavement
Funeral
Service: If you wish to complain about the quality of the
service provided by a funeral parlour.
Legal
Services: If you wish to complain about costs or service
provided by a lawyer or solicitor.
Dealing
with Crime
Police
Authorities: If you wish to complain to the police about
some aspect of the way in which the crime was reported, investigated
or resolved.
Social
Services: If you wish to complain about the way you were
catered for as a victim of crime.
Travel
There is a large number
of companies and agencies (central, local government and others)
involved in the travel industry. Below we list the major categories
of transport and travel, within which you will find minor categories
that should lead you to the appropriate agency or company.
Don’t forget - if
you know the name of the company or agency about whom
you wish to complain - you can access them directly by filling in
the 'complain to' box on the top left of this page.
Car
Roadworks
and/or congestion: If you wish to complain about the quantity
of traffic on the roads, one-off snarl ups, or longer and continued
bottlenecks caused for example by roadworks.
Parking:
If you wish to complain about parking your car (whether the
costs, logistics or whatever), follow the relevant link below:.
Costs of motoring:
If you wish to complain about the costs of buying or running
a car, follow the relevant link below:
- new
car
- used
car
- road
tax
- fuel
Car
loans and insurance: If you wish to complain about the service,
advice or costs related to the provision of a car loan of the
insurance thereof.
Poor
road signs: If you wish to complain about the quality, readability
or availability of road signs or markings.
Poor
driving: If you wish to complain about poor driving by other
road users.
Coaches
and Buses
Since the part privatisation
of the bus and coach networks, the UK operates a mixed regime whereby
some services are run under franchise by private companies and others
are operated by local government.
To identify the type
of complaint that you wish to make, please click on the relevant
category below:
Problem
on a specific bus or route: If you wish to complain about
an issue related to a specific bus or route (such as congestion,
cost, frequency, time keeping, cleanliness).
Wider
problem with bus service: If you wish to complain on a broader
level - say about the overall poor quality of bus/coach service
in your area.
Information
providers: If you wish to complain about the quality of
service or advice you received from a provider of information
(on timetables, routes, costs).
Bus/coach
stations: If you wish to complain about a specific bus or
coach station.
Ticket
vendors: If you wish to complain about a specific ticket
vendor.
Trains
The franchise formerly
run by British Rail has been divided into a series of franchises
run by train operating companies (TOCs)
who utilise the network (lines, stations, signals) managed
and provided by Railtrack. This
system is operated under the authority of the Shadow Strategic Rail
Authority, itself directly reporting to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Underground train services
are currently managed by the relevant local government.
To identify the type
of complaint that you wish to make, please click on the relevant
category below:
Problem
on a specific train or route: If you wish to complain about
an issue related to a specific train or route (such as congestion,
cost, frequency, time keeping, cleanliness, etc).
Wider
problem with train service: If you wish to complain on a
broader level (about safety, the overall poor quality of the
train service in your area, etc).
Information
providers: If you wish to complain about the quality of
service or advice you received from a provider of information
(on timetables, routes, costs, etc).
Railway
stations: If you wish to complain about a specific railway
station.
Ticket
vendors: If you wish to complain about a specific ticket
vendor.
Air
travel
To identify the type
of complaint that you wish to make, please click on the relevant
category below:
Getting
to and from a UK airport: If you wish to complain about
an issue related to getting to/from a UK airport.
Facilities
at the airport: If you wish to complain about an issue related
to facilities at a UK airport.
Problems
with a particular flight: If you wish to complain about
any aspect of a particular flight (such as check-in, in-flight
service, delays, cost, lost baggage).
Problems
with a particular airline: If you have a wider complaint
about an airline (such as general customer service, safety).
Problems
with a particular route: If you wish to complain about a
particular route (such as frequency of planes, delays, ticket
cost).
Ticket
vendors: If you wish to complain about a specific ticket
vendor.
Travel
insurance: If you wish to complain about the providers of
your travel insurance.
Ships
and ferries
To identify the type
of complaint that you wish to make, please click on the relevant
category below:
Getting
to and from a UK port: If you wish to complain about an
issue related to getting to/from a UK port.
Facilities
at the port: If you wish to complain about an issue related
to facilities at a UK port.
Problems
with a particular journey: If you wish to complain about
any aspect of a particular journey (such as check-in, on-board
service, delays, cost, lost baggage).
Problems
with a particular company: If you have a wider complaint
about a shipping or ferry company (such as general customer
service, safety, etc).
Problems
with a particular route: If you wish to complain about a
particular route (such as frequency of sailings, delays, ticket
cost).
Ticket
vendors: If you wish to complain about a specific ticket
vendor.
Travel
insurance: If you wish to complain about the providers of
your travel insurance.
Banks
and other financial institutions
Below is a list of
the major categories of providers of financial products. Clicking
on a category will take you through to the relevant part of the
site, where you will get the information you need to pursue your
complaint.
Banks
and building societies.
Other
mortgage providers.
Credit
card providers.
Other
lending institutions.
Stockbrokers
and investment companies.
Pension
funds and life assurance companies.
Insurance
companies.
Don’t forget that
if you know the name of the company or agency
about whom you wish to complain, you can acccess them directly
by filling in the 'complain to' box at the top left of this page.
Telecoms
and the Internet
The world of telecoms
is increasingly important to all of us in our daily lives. Its
rapid growth means it is more complex to understand, and particularly
so given the variety of alliances that exist between the various
networks, service providers and retailers.
Note
that if you want to complain about the contents of a particular
web site, this should be
done by looking up what type of business it is (such as bank,
clothes retailer, etc). From our perspective, the web is no more
than another distribution channel, although one with its own idiosyncrasies.
To help identify
to whom your complaint should be addressed we need to know the
type of product or service that you wish to complain about.
Mobile
phones.
Accessing
the internet.
Your
fixed telephone line (at home or the office).
Other
devices (such as pagers, PDAs, etc).
Don’t forget that if
you know the name of the company or agency about
whom you wish to complain, you can acccess them directly by filling
in the 'complain to' box at the top left of this page.
Mobile
Phones
Choosing
a phone and/or network: If you wish to complain about
the advice or service quality of the retailer where you bought
the phone.
Phone
handset: If you wish to complain about the actual handset
or other issues.
Network
access: If you wish to complain about difficulties logging
on to your chosen network or the speed of device response.
Insurance:
If you wish to complain about insurance taken out with your
phone.
Service
provider: If you wish to complain about any other aspect
of your mobile phone (such as costs, billing, call barring,
etc).
Accessing
the Internet
Choosing
an Internet Service Provider (ISP): If you wish to complain
about the advice given to you when choosing a particular ISP
(such as Freeserve, AOL, Pipex, etc).
ISP:
If you wish to complain about difficulties logging on to your
chosen ISP, the speed of network response, or the ISP costs.
Telecom
Issues: If you wish to complain about any telecoms issue
associated with surfing the internet (such as high phone bills,
getting an extra line, etc).
Hardware:
If you wish to complain about a hardware related issue, click
on the relevant category:
Health
Your
health is fundamental to your life. Feedback systems within the
NHS and your local surgery have become easier to use. Click on the
appropriate category below to access information on complaining
to the agency concerned.
Your
local GP.
Your
local hospital or clinic
Midwifes
and home childcare.
Your
local health authority.
Your
health insurance provider [money and professional
services/ non-life insurance]
Don’t forget that if
you know the name of the company or agency about whom
you wish to complain, you can acccess them directly by filling in
the 'complain to' box at the top left of this page.
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