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Complaints Procedure

Our aim is to provide a first class service. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with our service and wish to complain the procedure is as follows:

1. You may complain by any reasonable means but we recommend you put your complaint in writing addressed to the Departmental Manager at the Society's Head Office address.
2. We will send you a prompt written acknowledgement usually within 5 days of receiving the complaint giving the name or job title of the person who will initially consider your complaint, normally the Departmental Manager. If possible, we will give our response at the same time. However, if more investigation is required we will try to give our response as soon as possible and will give you an indication of when we expect to be able to respond.
3. If you are dissatisfied with our response you may request that your complaint be considered by the Chief Executive. You may make your request by any reasonable means, but preferably in writing addressed to the Chief Executive at the Society's Head Office.
4. The Chief Executive will acknowledge receipt of your request promptly and if our final response is not made at the same time you will be sent a holding response. The holding response will explain why the Society is not in a position to make a final response and will indicate when it expects to be able to provide one. Where a holding response is sent you will be sent a final written response within 8 weeks of receiving your initial complaint. If you take longer than 1 week to refer your complaint to the Chief Executive then any period of time over 1 week will be disregarded for the purposes of the 8 week period.
5. Our final response will inform you that if you are still dissatisfied you may refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (the Ombudsman) within 6 months. We will also provide you with a copy of the Ombudsman's explanatory leaflet and if we believe your complaint is not within the Ombudsman's terms of reference we will tell you so.