LESS THAN 1% Complaints Policy
LESS THAN 1%, a Member of The Property Ombudsman, aims to provide the highest standards of service to all its customers. To ensure that your interests are safeguarded, please find below our complaints procedure.
This provides for the matter to be dealt with internally by a Director and in the event that we are not able to deal with the issue to our mutual satisfaction, by reference to The Property Ombudsman.
We will where appropriate, make reasonable adjustments for consumers who might be disadvantaged because of factors such as their age, infirmity, disability, lack of knowledge, lack of linguistic or numeracy ability, economic circumstances, bereavement or do not speak English as a first language.
If you believe you have a complaint, please write in the first instance to Head Office:
By Post:
400 Pavilion Drive,
Northampton,
NN4 7PA
By Email:
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:
Your complaint will be acknowledged within 24 hours but no longer than 3 working days, investigated thoroughly in accordance with established in-house procedures and a formal reply will be sent to you within 15 working days of receipt of your complaint.
FINAL REVIEW:
In the event that the final review, as detailed below, fails to satisfy your complaint, then you are at liberty to have the matter referred to the The Property Ombudsman. We will submit our file to the Ombudsman on request. You are also entitled to have your complaint referred to the Ombudsman should we fail to deal with matters promptly or do not comply with our in-house complaints procedure within 8 weeks from the date we receive your written notification.
Complaints Procedure:
STEP 1:
We request your complaint in writing, addressed it to a senior member of staff or Director, either by email or post.
STEP 2:
Once the complaint has been received in writing you will receive written acknowledgement from LESS THAN 1%. This will usually be within 24 hours but no longer than three working days.
STEP 3:
A senior member of staff/Director, who is impartial to the dispute, will fully investigate your complaint and provide a written review of your case within a maximum of 15 days.
STEP 4:
Should this result in a satisfactory outcome and (if applicable) you accept any compensation offered, we would request that you confirm to us in writing, that you are now satisfied and that the matter is closed.
Should you be dissatisfied, we would again, ask for you to put your reasons in writing and your proposal to resolve the complaint.
STEP 5:
If the complaint has not been resolved and we receive your written response as to why you are still unsatisfied, all senior members of staff/directors will then look over your case file and, as a collective, write to you with a means of resolving the complaint. This will be our final review of the matter.
STEP 6:
Should this result in a satisfactory outcome and (if applicable) you accept any compensation offered, we would request that you confirm to us in writing, that you are now satisfied and that the matter can be closed.
If the complaint has not been resolved and we receive your written response as to why you are still unsatisfied, we will offer to hand the case file over to the Property Ombudsman.
Complaints and the Property Ombudsman
The Property Ombudsman provides a free, fair and independent service for dealing with unresolved disputes between sales agents who have joined the TPO and consumers who are actual or potential buyers or sellers of residential property in the UK. The Ombudsman is a member of the British and Irish Ombudsman Association and follows the standards and rules of the Association. The Ombudsman is totally independent of agents and reports directly to the TPO Council which has a majority of non-industry members.
'Your complaint may be considered by the Ombudsman, if you believe that the agent has:
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infringed your legal rights; or
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failed to follow the rules and obligations set for agents under any code of practice to which they may subscribe; or
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treated you unfairly; or
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been guilty of maladministration (including inefficiency or undue delay) in a way that results in you losing money or suffering avoidable aggravation, distress and/or inconvenience.'
Please note the following:
You will need to submit your complaint to The Property Ombudsman within 12 months from the date of our final viewpoint , including any evidence to support your case.
The Property Ombudsman requires that all complaints are addressed through this in-house complaints procedure, before being submitted for an independent review.
How to contact the Property Ombudsman:
By Post:
The Property Ombudsman
Milford House
43-55 Milford Street
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP1 2BP
By Phone:
01722 333 306
By Email/Online: