Complaints Process

Complaints and Appeals Procedure

We hope that you won’t ever be made to feel upset or annoyed whilst you’re at your allotment, but we want to make sure that if you do need to raise concerns about anything, it will be dealt with properly.

Our process is easy to follow and will ensure that every complaint is dealt with fairly and sorted out as quickly as possible.

However, before you raise a formal complaint we strongly encourage an informal approach first.

(a) If your concerns are to do with the running of the allotments, then please
raise your concerns to a member of the Committee.

(b) If your concerns are with another plot holder, a Committee Member will
be more than happy to act as an interlocuter.

The Process

When putting your complaint together, it would be helpful to be specific as to what exactly is your complaint, and provide supporting evidence, such as date and time of the incident you are complaining. Please add any photos, written notes on conversations, witnesses to the incident to support your complaint.

Stage 1

Raise your concerns via email, or in writing addressed to the Secretary of the Society with full details of the complaint. Oral cannot be accepted.
All complaints will be acknowledged with 7 days of receipt. The Secretary may consult others as appropriate and will give you a formal response no less than 14 days following receipt. You may be asked to attend a meeting to discuss your complaint more fully.
If the Secretary feels the issue needs full Committee discussion, they may also escalate the complaint to Stage 2.

Stage 2

If you are not satisfied with the response you can escalate your complaint to Stage 2 to be discussed at the next committee meeting. To escalate, you must write, stating why the response given is unacceptable and any further information in support of your complaint, giving at least 3 working days prior to the next published committee meeting which you can find on the notice boards.
All Stage 2 complaints will be responded to within 7 days of the committee meeting. If a longer period of time is needed you will be informed by the Secretary.

Stage 3

If you are still not satisfied with the response, you may escalate your complaint to Stage 3. This must be done in writing to the Chair stating why the stage 2 response given is unacceptable. Receipt will be acknowledge within 7 days (where possible) and you will be informed of the length of time needed for deliberation (no greater than 21 days) by an Officer of the Society.

The Committee has the right in exceptional circumstances, to refer the hearing of a Stage 3 complaint to an independent member of the National Association for Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, to which the Isle of Dogs & District Allotment Society Ltd is affiliated.

A formal response will be issued within the following 7 days and this ruling will be final.

Note: If the complainant remains dissatisfied with the way in which their complaint was dealt with by the Society at Stage 3 of the complaints process, the complainant is entitled to refer their complaint to the Borough of Tower Hamlets. Web link: The complaints process (towerhamlets.gov.uk).

SIGNED BY THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS 12TH FEBRUARY 2022