Complaints Policy

 

Introduction

We are committed to providing the best possible service for our customers. Whilst we operate a continuous improvement culture, we are conscious that things do go wrong from time to time. In these situations, we know it’s frustrating for our customers and we have written our complaints policy with the aim of turning bad outcomes into positive ones. 

We believe strongly in making it as easy as possible for our customers to make a complaint and we will treat this as a positive opportunity to find out what has gone wrong and to try and fix the situation. As a team, we will also take ownership and learn from complaints so that we can improve our business. 

It is important for us to point out that as we are a credit broker or intermediary, we are linking a number of parties (finance provider, supplier, manufacturer) to create the proposition for our customers. Therefore, a significant proportion of complaints that we receive will require us to transfer the complaint to the relevant party so that it can be dealt with effectively. In these cases, we will make it clear if we will provide updates to you or if the third party will respond to you directly.

How we treat your complaints

We treat any expression of dissatisfaction from a customer as a complaint. We aim to treat all complaints seriously and respond to them professionally. All complaints in relation to our service are recorded. We recognise that we may also receive complaints about the service or products provided by our partners, and in those cases we will pass on your complaint to the relevant partner and/or seek to assist you in resolving that complaint with them directly.

We view complaints as ‘informal’ or ‘formal’:

  • Informal complaints – These are complaints that we are able to acknowledge, investigate and resolve quickly. Informal complaints would also be outside of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulatory jurisdiction. An example could be a complaint about the physical delivery of your new vehicle. If we initially classify a complaint as informal but are unable to resolve quickly, we will then follow the formal complaint process.

  • Formal complaints – These complaints will either be complaints that fall under the regulatory jurisdiction of the FCA or a complaint that is complex and needs considerable investigation before we can offer a response (such as a complaint regarding the sale of a finance agreement). Our formal complaints process is outlined below.

How to inform us of your complaint 

You can easily inform us of any concerns or complaints by emailing us at complaints@electriccarscheme.com or writing to us at FAO Customer Experience Manager, The Electric Car Scheme, The Shipping Building, 254 Blyth Road, UB3 1HA. 

(Note: Please provide your contact details alongside your complaint, along with the full details and any relevant references, such as the vehicle registration / order ref / quote ref.) 

How our formal complaint process works

Our aim is to acknowledge and formally respond to complaints received as quickly as possible; however, we recognise that some complaints may require in-depth investigation in order to be satisfactorily resolved. In some cases, we might need to wait for a response from another party, such as the finance company or the supplying dealership. So that you know what to expect from us, we have listed the stages and timescales below. 

  1. Complaint received 

  2. Acknowledging your complaint: One of our team will formally acknowledge your complaint within three working days. 

  3. Investigating your complaint: Once we have  understood your complaint fully, we will carry out an investigation. This may include listening to calls, recovering emails, reviewing documentation or requesting information from the involved parties (such as the finance company or supplying dealership). Our customer experience manager  will aim to resolve your complaint fully within four weeks of receiving your complaint. If, however, we are unable to resolve your complaint and provide you with a ‘final response’ within this timescale, we will email you with an update  explaining what we are waiting for and how long the process is expected to take. Please note, that as a company authorised and regulated by the FCA, we are required to provide you with a final response or a written update within eight weeks of receiving your complaint. 

  4. Final response: Once we have investigated your complaint, we will provide you with a final response by email. Our final response will clearly set out if we uphold your complaint and the appropriate resolution. If we do not uphold your complaint, our response will clearly explain why. 

  5. Complaint closed: Once we have shared our final response and, if there are no further actions, we will update our files and formally close your complaint.

  6. Further disputes: If you are not satisfied with our final response, you may be able to take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman or an independent conciliation service (see details below). 

If you are not satisfied with our final response 

If you disagree with our final response, including any resolution that has been offered, you may be able to take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman  or an independent conciliation service. 

Financial Ombudsman 

Your complaint will fall within the Financial Ombudsman’s jurisdiction in the following cases:  

  • You are a regulated customer (including private individuals, sole traders or a partner in a company with 2 or 3 partners); and

  • Your complaint is about the ‘selling of a finance product’, the finance agreement itself or anything directly linked to the financial transaction. 

The Financial Ombudsman Service can be contacted at their address (Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR), via their website: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/ or by calling +44 (0) 800 023 4567. 

BVRLA conciliation service 

Complaints that fall outside of the Financial Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, such as those made by limited companies or not linked to the finance agreement (e.g. the vehicle is delivered dirty),  may instead be taken to our industry trade body, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), via their conciliation service. 

The BVRLA can be contacted at their address (River Lodge, Badminton Court, Amersham, HP7 0DD) or via their online complaints process (https://www.bvrla.co.uk/consumer-advice/making-a-complaint-adr.html).