Welcome

At Hoult Homes, we are committed to providing every client and consumer with a professional, personal and transparent service.

We take great pride in the standards we set ourselves and are always striving to provide the highest level of care throughout every stage of your property journey.

Whilst we hope that every experience with Hoult Homes is a positive one, we recognise that there may be occasions where our service does not meet expectations. If this happens, we want to hear from you.

We are committed to listening carefully, investigating concerns fairly and impartially, and seeking to resolve complaints promptly and professionally.

We view every complaint as an opportunity to learn, improve and continually strengthen the service we provide.

About This Procedure

The purpose of this Complaints Handling Procedure is to explain how Hoult Homes Ltd manages complaints in a fair, transparent and consistent manner.

It outlines the steps we will take when a complaint is received, the timescales you can expect us to work to, and the options available to you if you remain dissatisfied following the conclusion of our internal complaints handling process.

This procedure reflects our commitment to delivering a high standard of customer service and meeting the standards expected of members of The Property Ombudsman.

Who This Procedure Applies To

This Complaints Handling Procedure applies to complaints relating to the estate agency services provided by Hoult Homes Ltd.

It applies to clients, prospective clients, buyers, sellers and any other consumer who has received, or sought to receive, estate agency services from Hoult Homes Ltd.

Nothing within this procedure affects any statutory or legal rights available to you.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Complaints Handling Procedure:

Complaint means an expression of dissatisfaction, whether made verbally or in writing, about the service provided by Hoult Homes Ltd.

Working Day means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in England.

Final Viewpoint Letter means our final written response concluding our internal complaints handling procedure.

Making a Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service you have received from Hoult Homes Ltd, we encourage you to tell us as soon as reasonably possible so that we have the opportunity to investigate your concerns and, where appropriate, seek an appropriate resolution.

Complaints should, wherever possible, be submitted in writing.

Email: hello@houlthomes.co.uk

Post: Hoult Homes Ltd, Casterton Suite, Clawthorpe Hall Business Centre, Burton-In-Kendal, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA6 1NU

If you are unable to submit your complaint by email or post, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss an alternative method of communication.

To assist us in investigating your complaint, we ask that you provide the following information where available:

• Your full name and contact details.
• The property address (where applicable).
• A clear description of your complaint.
• Relevant dates and the names of any members of our team you have dealt with, where known.
• Copies of any documents or correspondence you would like us to consider.
• The outcome you are seeking.

If your complaint is made verbally, we may ask you to confirm the details in writing to ensure we have a clear understanding of the matters raised and can investigate them fairly and thoroughly.

We may contact you during our investigation if we require any additional information or clarification.

Our Complaints Handling Process

Every complaint is considered on its own individual circumstances and will be investigated fairly, objectively and without unnecessary delay.

We are committed to keeping you informed throughout the complaints process and will notify you if we require additional information or if our anticipated timescales change.

Stage One - Receipt of Your Complaint

Upon receiving your complaint, we will acknowledge it in writing within three working days.

Our acknowledgement will confirm that your complaint has been received and is being handled in accordance with this Complaints Handling Procedure. We will provide the name and contact details of the person responsible for investigating your complaint and explain the next steps in the process.

If we require any additional information or documentation to investigate your complaint fully, we will contact you as soon as reasonably practicable.

Where appropriate, we will also advise you of the timescales within which you can expect to receive our substantive response.

If, having reviewed your complaint, we consider that the matter does not fall within the scope of this Complaints Handling Procedure, we will explain our reasons in writing and, where appropriate, advise you of any alternative course of action that may be available.

Stage Two - Investigation

Once your complaint has been acknowledged, we will carry out a fair, impartial and thorough investigation of the matters you have raised.

As part of our investigation, we will consider all relevant information and documentation, including correspondence, records and any other evidence that may assist us in reaching a fair and informed outcome. Where appropriate, we may contact you to request further information or clarification.

We aim to provide our written response to your complaint within 15 working days of receiving it.

If we are unable to provide a full response within this timeframe, we will write to you to explain the reason for the delay, provide an update on the progress of our investigation, and confirm when you can expect to receive our response.

Throughout our investigation, we will keep you appropriately informed of the progress of your complaint and will ensure that it is handled fairly, consistently and in accordance with this Complaints Handling Procedure.

Our written response will set out the findings of our investigation, explain how we have reached our decision and, where appropriate, outline any steps we propose to take to resolve your complaint.

Stage Three - Final Viewpoint

Once our investigation has been completed, we will issue our Final Viewpoint Letter setting out the outcome of our investigation.

Our Final Viewpoint Letter will:

• summarise the complaint and the issues investigated;
• explain the findings of our investigation and the reasons for our decision;
• confirm whether your complaint has been upheld, partially upheld or not upheld;
• set out any actions we propose to take to resolve the complaint, where appropriate; and
• explain your right to refer the complaint to The Property Ombudsman if you remain dissatisfied.

We aim to complete our internal complaints handling procedure as promptly as possible and, wherever practicable, within eight weeks of receiving your complaint.

If, despite our best efforts, we are unable to conclude our investigation within this timeframe, we will explain the reasons for the delay, provide an update on the progress of your complaint and keep you informed until our Final Viewpoint Letter has been issued.

Referring Your Complaint to The Property Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our Final Viewpoint Letter, or if eight weeks have passed since you first made your complaint and you have not received our Final Viewpoint Letter, you may refer your complaint to The Property Ombudsman.

The Property Ombudsman provides a free, impartial and independent dispute resolution service for consumers.

Complaints referred to The Property Ombudsman must normally be submitted within 12 months of the date of our Final Viewpoint Letter.

Further information about the service provided by The Property Ombudsman, together with details of how to submit a complaint, can be found on their website or by contacting them directly:

The Property Ombudsman
Unit 159756
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL

Telephone: 01722 333 306

Email: admin@tpos.co.uk

Website: www.tpos.co.uk

Codes of Practice: www.tpos.co.uk/about-us/codes-of-practice

Consumer Guidance: www.tpos.co.uk/consumers/consumer-dispute-guide

Accessibility

Hoult Homes Ltd is committed to ensuring that our complaints handling process is accessible to everyone.

If you require this Complaints Handling Procedure or any correspondence relating to your complaint in an alternative format, or if you need additional assistance in making or progressing a complaint, please let us know. We will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible to ensure that our complaints process is accessible and fair.

If you have specific communication requirements, we will work with you to accommodate your needs throughout the complaints handling process.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

We will handle all complaints sensitively and, wherever possible, in confidence.

Information relating to your complaint will only be shared with those who need access to it for the purposes of investigating and resolving the matter, or where we are required to do so by law or a regulatory body.

Any personal data provided as part of the complaints process will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and our Privacy Notice.

Where appropriate, we may retain records of complaints and the outcome of our investigations to meet our legal and regulatory obligations, improve our services and assist in responding to any future enquiries.

Record Keeping

Hoult Homes Ltd maintains appropriate records of all complaints received and the actions taken to investigate and resolve them.

Our records may include correspondence, supporting documentation, details of our investigation, the outcome of the complaint and any actions taken as a result.

Complaint records are retained for an appropriate period to meet our legal and regulatory obligations, support good business practice and assist with the fair handling of any future enquiries or related matters.

Access to complaint records is restricted to those who require it in connection with the investigation or administration of the complaint.

Continuous Improvement

At Hoult Homes Ltd, we recognise that complaints can provide valuable feedback and an opportunity to improve the services we provide.

Following the conclusion of a complaint, we will consider whether any lessons can be learned and whether changes to our procedures, processes or ways of working are appropriate.

Where improvements are identified, we will take reasonable steps to implement them to help maintain the high standards of service our clients and consumers are entitled to expect.

Availability of this Procedure

This Complaints Handling Procedure is available on request and is published on the Hoult Homes website. A copy will also be provided to any complainant upon request.

Document Review

This Complaints Handling Procedure will be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains accurate, up to date and compliant with applicable legislation, regulatory requirements and the standards of The Property Ombudsman.

Where necessary, this procedure will be updated to reflect changes in legislation, industry guidance or the way in which Hoult Homes Ltd provides its services.