Complaints Procedure for Gardening Covent Garden

Purpose and scope. This page sets out the complaints procedure used by Gardening Covent Garden and associated teams to respond to concerns about any aspect of our garden services. The aim is to resolve issues fairly and promptly while maintaining high standards across all Covent Garden gardening services, whether that is routine garden maintenance, planting schemes, pruning or seasonal care. We treat complaints as opportunities for improvement: every concern raised will be recorded, reviewed and used to refine our approach to care and maintenance provided by our gardeners in Covent Garden and nearby service areas.

Who may complain and what counts as a complaint. A complaint may be made by any customer who is unhappy with a service delivered by our team, or by someone acting on their behalf. Examples include dissatisfaction with workmanship, missed appointments, damage to plants or property, communication issues or an unmet expectation around agreed garden maintenance standards. Covent Garden garden maintenance queries reported as complaints will be treated with the same rigour as any other service concern.

Informal resolution first. Wherever possible we encourage an informal approach to resolving issues: please raise routine matters promptly with the gardener who attended or with the service coordinator so they can try to put things right immediately. Many concerns can be resolved on the spot through a practical action, a revisit or clarifying the scope of work. If an informal approach does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, the formal complaints procedure below should be followed.

Submitting a formal complaint. To make a formal complaint you should describe the issue in writing, including dates, locations, names of staff involved where known and any relevant photographs or evidence. A clear summary of the desired outcome helps us to consider remedies. We record each formal complaint in our system, allocate it a reference and begin a structured review. This approach applies across our Covent Garden garden services and to work carried out by all gardeners in Covent Garden.

Investigation and timescales. Once a complaint is logged we aim to acknowledge it within five working days and provide an initial assessment of the likely timescale for resolution. Investigations typically include reviewing job records, speaking with the gardener(s) involved, inspecting the site where feasible and examining any photographic evidence. Most complaints are resolved within 15 to 30 working days; where longer investigations are required we will explain why and give regular progress updates. Throughout, we apply impartiality and fairness to both complainant and staff.

Possible outcomes and remedies. After investigation we may offer one or more remedial actions, which could include a repeat visit to complete or correct work, a cost adjustment for a service, practical restoration for damaged planting, or a formal apology where appropriate. We do not offer refunds or compensation for circumstances outside our control, such as weather-related impact on planting, but we will propose reasonable steps to put the matter right where our service standard was not met.

Escalation process. If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our formal response, you may request an internal review. An escalation will be handled by a senior manager not previously involved in the investigation. The reviewer will reassess the evidence, may conduct further enquiries and will issue a final response outlining findings and any additional steps the organisation will take. This internal review represents the final stage of our in-house complaints process for matters related to Gardening Covent Garden.

Confidentiality and record-keeping. All complaints and associated records are treated as confidential and retained in accordance with our internal record-keeping practice. Records help us identify recurring issues, monitor performance of our gardeners in Covent Garden, and ensure consistent quality across the service area. Information from complaints is used to refine staff training, update procedures and improve scheduling and communication processes.

Learning and closure. Following final response and any agreed remedial action, the complaint file is closed and a summary is included in our continuous improvement reviews. We analyse trends across categories such as workmanship, communication and timeliness to implement practical changes in how we deliver garden maintenance, landscaping and seasonal care. Our intention is to make the complaints procedure transparent, proportionate and focused on restoring customer confidence while strengthening overall service quality.