Complaints

We publish this information to ensure transparency and accountability in our complaints process. The self-assessment form, completed by the complaints officer and reviewed by our governing body annually, is included in our yearly complaints performance and service improvement report. The Complaints Annual Report, the Complaints Policy, the self-assessment and the governing body’s response are made available here to keep you informed.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether eventually deemed to be justified or not. A complaint could include one or more of the following problems:

  • We delay in providing a service to a user
  • We fail or refuse to provide a service to a user
  • We provide a poor quality service to a user or make a mistake
  • We provide an inappropriate service to a user
  • We remove or withdraw a service from a user
  • We make changes to a service without properly informing the user
  • A member of staff’s behaviour causes upset to a user
  • A policy unreasonably disadvantages a user
  • We unfairly discriminate against a user
  • Has made misleading or excessive requests for donations
  • Has been disrespectful or treated them unfairly when seeking donations
  • Is not transparent or open about the relationship it has with a third party, for example, an agency working on its behalf
  • Failed to respect a donor’s wishes, for example, if a donor has asked to be contacted only in a certain way
  • Has not dealt appropriately with a complaint made by a member of the public about fundraising

Our Complaints Policy

Our Complaints Policy includes information on what constituents a complaint, how to make one and our approach to handling complaints.

Complaints Summary (April 2023 – March 2024)

During this period Refuge received a total of 107 complaints:

  • 54% were from client’s access refuge’s community-based services including the National Domestic Abuse Helpline
  • 46% were from residents in Refuge’s refuges, refuge residents account for 6% of all clients accessing Refuge services
  • 90% of the complaints received were from clients
  • 34% of complaints received were from clients who were accessing refuge accommodation, refuge residents account for 6% of all clients accessing refuge services
  • Accommodation and facilities accounted for 5% of all complaints, 4% where Refuge are the managing agent and 1% where Refuge are the landlord
  • 7 complaints were received from residents where Refuge is the landlord: these account for 6.5% of all complaints received during this period.

Complaints Annual Report (April 2023 – March 2024)

Appendix A: Self-assessment form