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Citizens Advice Middlesbrough
Do You Have A Complaint?

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Your Right to Complain

Every year Citizens Advice Middlesbrough helps thousands of people with their problems. However, every so often someone goes away feeling unhappy. Perhaps you had to wait for ages, only to find out that there is very little we can do for you. Perhaps you felt that you were not treated with respect or courtesy. Perhaps our advice didn’t help or was wrong.

Unfortunately, these things happen. We know we are not perfect, although we aim to be. That is why we have a complaints procedure. Sometimes we can put things right; sometimes we can only explain ourselves and apologise. But we do want to learn from our mistakes. What you tell us helps us to look at how we do things and helps to improve our service.

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How to complain

Making an Informal Complaint
Misunderstandings can often be sorted out on an informal basis. Please ask to speak to John Daniels, Chief Executive or Sonia Glen, Advice Manager, as they may be able to sort out the problem straightaway. Alternatively, if you feel the problem needs to be looked at and put on an official footing, you can follow our formal complaints procedure.

Making a Formal Complaint
‍There are several ways to make a complaint directly to Citizens Advice Middlesbrough: by letter, telephone or email. Please address the complaint to either the Chief Executive or Chair of Trustees. The contact details are at the end of this page.

If you prefer, you can ask national Citizens Advice to refer your complaint to Citizens Advice Middlesbrough. You can complain to national Citizens Advice by calling their complaints line on 03000 231 900. Or you can email your complaint using an online form (www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/make-a-complaint-about-us/).

Your complaint will be investigated by the Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Middlesbrough under the direction of the Chair of Trustees, or by the Chair of you are complaining about the Chief Executive. You will receive a written decision from the Chair of the Trustee Board within 8 weeks. However, if the issue is complicated, any delay will be explained and you will be kept informed of progress.

If your complaint is upheld, you will get a full apology from the Chair of Trustees. If it’s appropriate, you’ll get details of any action that Citizens Advice Middlesbrough is taking to put things right.
(Please note: If you believe that the advice Citizens Advice Middlesbrough gave cost you money, then you should seek independent advice from elsewhere – eg a high street solicitor perhaps or a law centre. In those circumstances we would not deal with the complaint at the same time as we are dealing with legal action against us).

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Review of complaint

If you are still not happy after our response, you can request a further review by the national association. The review will be conducted under the direction of the national Citizens Advice Chief Executive. If you are still not happy you can ask for your complaint to be looked at by an Independent Adjudicator. How to do this will be explained to you when you receive the decision from the national association.

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Financial Ombudsman Service

The Financial Ombudsman Service provides a free, independent service for clients to solve disputes with not for profit debt advice providers.

The Financial Ombudsman Service will only step in once Citizens Advice Middlesbrough has had the opportunity to investigate matters, so please contact us first.

If your complaint is about debt advice or if you were seeking advice about your credit record and you are not satisfied with Citizens Advice Middlesbrough’s final response, or if eight weeks have passed since your first let Citizens Advice Middlesbrough know about your concerns, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman to review your complaint.

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Contact the Financial Ombudsman

By post
Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR
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By phone‍

0800 0 234 567
Free for people phoning from a ‘fixed’ line e.g landline at home.

0300 123 9 123
Free for mobile phone users who pay a monthly charge for calls to a number starting 01 and 02.

By email
‍complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Website
‍www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

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Contact Citizens Advice Middlesbrough

By post
John Daniels (Chief Executive), or Chair of Trustees
Citizens Advice Middlesbrough
3 Bolckow Street
Middlesbrough
TS1 1TH

By phone
01642 802282

By email
‍john.daniels@mcab.org.uk