If you've a problem with your phone supplier following the correct complaints procedure can ensure the issue is resolved quickly and easily.
Step 1. Contact your supplier
Customer services is generally your starting point (their number will be on your bill). Discuss the issue with them and generally they’ll be able to resolve the matter.
Step 2. Make a formal complaint to your service provider
If you can’t resolve the issue at step 1, ask your supplier for details of their complaints procedure. Again the issue should be resolved at this step. However if :
you believe your complaint has been not dealt with properly by your supplier and has been outstanding for 12 weeks
or
Your supplier has sent you a letter saying that your complaint has reached deadlock, then...
Step 3. Make a complaint through an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Scheme
Please note you cannot go straight to Step 3 without giving your supplier the chance to deal with the issue.
All phone suppliers are required to become members of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. Your supplier can give you the details of their Dispute Resolution Service and how this applies to them, or check the back of your bill for details.
You can find out more about ADRs on the Ofcom website.
Step 4. Make a complaint through Ofcom
Please note you must have followed all the previous steps without resolution to register a complaint with Ofcom.
Ofcom cannot alter an ADR decision, nor can Ofcom ask for the decision to be reviewed. Ofcom can be contacted on 0845 456 3000 or at their website.
Before you complain:
Read the small print and check your contract with your supplier.
Keep a record of:
- the date and time of each call to your supplier
- the name of the person you speak to
- what they say or promise to do
- copies of all correspondence
Further reading:
Phone suppliers alongside several consumer organisations, (acknowledged by Ofcom) have developed a set of comparable performance indicators for a range of services. The results are complied and published on the website www.cpi.org.uk.
