Complaints Procedure

WHAT IS A COMPLAINT

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction by a person, or their representative, who has had dealings with us and alleges that our action, or inaction has fallen short of their expectations.

We take complaints seriously. If you have complained, this will not change the way in which you are treated, we will use this as an opportunity to identify any improvements that we can make. When investigating your complaint we will listen to your concerns, review all available and relevant evidence and information.

WHAT ISN’T A COMPLAINT

We welcome all complaints, however, there are some situations where we are unable to investigate:
o Complaints related to the legitimacy of the debt such as the original parking charge, County Court Judgment, or the Writ
o Complaints about the law rather than DCBL actions
o Complaints that are awaiting an outcome from the Courts, Police or Regulatory Body
o Complaints related to the behaviour/actions of the claimant/creditor
o Complaints that we have considered and provided a decision
o Complaints related to data protection – these will be forwarded to our data protection team to investigate

HOW TO COMPLAIN

You can make a complaint by:
o Email: complaints@dcbltd.com
o Telephone: 0203 434 0432
o Letter: Complaints Officer, Direct House, Greenwood Drive, Manor Park, Runcorn, WA7 1UG

For us to fully investigate your complaint, please provide:
o Your full name (business name where applicable)
o Your home or business address
o DCBL reference number
o A clear description of your complaint
o Any documentation to support our investigation into your complaint
o An indication of what you are looking for to satisfy your complaint

Please provide only the facts as this will allow us to effectively investigate your complaint.
If you need support to help you make your complaint, a family member, friend, or an independent advice organisation can help you. There are a number of independent and free debt advice organisations who can provide advice and support.

National Debtline
Business Debtline
Citizens Advice
StepChange Debt Charity
Christians Against Poverty
Community Money Advice
Debt Advice Locator Tool

If your complaint is in relation to a Parking Charge the British Parking Association (https://www.britishparking.co.uk/) may be able to help you.

If your complaint is in relation to High Court Enforcement, the Enforcement Conduct Board (https://enforcementconductboard.org/) may be able to help.

OUR PROCEDURE

STAGE 1: INFORMAL RESOLUTION

We aim to resolve complaints quickly and efficiently and where possible without the need for a full investigation.
When we receive your complaint, one of our Complaints Associates will contact you – usually by phone but alternatively by email or in writing – to discuss your complaint and understand your concerns.

TIMESCALES

o We will acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours
o We will endeavour to resolve informal complaints within 5 working days. If we are unable to do this, we will progress your complaint to the next stage.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome at this stage, you can request a formal review of your complaint, this will be progressed to a formal review.

STAGE 2: FORMAL COMPLAINT

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your informal response, or if the complaint is serious or complex, you can request, or we may advise that a formal investigation is conducted.

At this stage, your complaint will be thoroughly investigated by your dedicated complaint handler and the outcome will be approved by one of our Senior Management Team to ensure that we have provided a fair and balanced response.

TIMESCALES

o We will acknowledge your formal complaint within 48 hours
o We will endeavour to provide a response within 20 working days. If we are unable to do this, we will contact you to explain and provide timescales for a response.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW

If you are not happy with the outcome of your formal complaint review and response, you can refer your complaint to the relevant Ombudsman. Your complaint handler will provide the details of the relevant Ombudsman within your formal complaint response.
Note: The informal and formal complaint stages must be followed before you can refer your complaint for an independent review.