Our Customer Complaints Procedure

HIGHWOOD ESTATE AGENTS is a member of the Property Redress Scheme (PRS) and we aim to provide the highest standards of service to all our customers. To ensure that your interests are safeguarded, we have a Complaints Process.

The aim of this process is to resolve any issues or concerns as quickly as possible, although in the majority of cases we hope that matters such as these are resolved at branch level.

Please find below our guidance for making a complaint in relation to:

• Estate Agency

This would be if you are buying or selling a property with one of our branches.

• Residential Lettings & Property Management

This would be if you are a Landlord letting your property with us with either a Let only, a Rent Collect or a Fully Managed Service or a Tenant renting a property with us.

Residential Estate Agency – making a complaint

Stage One – Branch Manager/Area Partner

All complaints in the first instance should be directed to the Manager of the Branch or if you wish the Area Partner for the Branch you have been dealing with. Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days. They will endeavor to resolve your complaint immediately, and no later than 5 working days of the first notification.

Stage Two – Divisional Estate Agency Director

If you remain dissatisfied, you may further your complaint, which must be in writing, to the Estate Agency Director responsible for the branch in question. You must write to the EA Director within one month of receiving the Stage 1 response.

The Branch Manager/Area Partner can provide you with details of who to contact. The EA Director will acknowledge your complaint within 3 workings days of receipt of the email/letter and provide you with a full written response within 15 working days.

Stage Three – Customer Relations Manager

If you remain dissatisfied, you may address your concerns, in writing, to the Customer Relations Manager (CRM) within one month of the response from the Area/Regional Partner. Your letter will be acknowledged within three working days of receipt and you will be provided with a final view written response on behalf of the Company within 15 working days of receipt of your letter. Your complaint should be sent to: info@northside-estates.co.uk

Denis Akopov Company Director and Customer Relations Manager

HIGHWOOD ESTATE AGENTS
Head Office 86 – 90 Paul Street,
London,
EC2A 4NE,
United Kingdom

Stage Four – Property Redress Scheme (PRS)

After you have received a response from the Customer Relations Manager, you may approach the Property Redress Scheme if you are not satisfied with the response given. Details of how to do this are contained within the final viewpoint letter, the PRS Consumer Guide, or online at www.theprs.co.uk. Please note, you must do so within twelve months of the date of the final letter. PRS will not consider your complaint until our internal procedures are exhausted.

Residential Lettings & Property Management – making a complaint

We are a member of the Property Redress Scheme and we aim to provide the highest standards of service to all our Residential Lettings and Property Management customers.

In order to ensure that your interests are safeguarded, we have put into place a complaints procedure which we will follow in dealing with your complaint and which is in line with the Property Redress Scheme’s Code of Practice. Our aim is to handle any issues or concerns as quickly as possible; in order to achieve this we will, wherever we can, try and resolve your issues at Branch level or within the Property Management Team.

Stage 1 – Area Director or Property Management Area Director

All complaints should, in the first instance, be directed to the Manager of the Branch or the Property Management Manager of the Property Management Team you have been dealing with. Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt and following a full investigation you will receive a written response within 15 working days.

Stage 2 – Company Final Viewpoint – Lettings Director, Property Management Director or Customer Relations Manager

Should the concerns raised still remain, or if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our handling of the complaint at Stage 1, you may escalate the complaint by writing to the Lettings Director or Property Management Director at the below address. Alternatively, email the named person whose contact details will be in the final paragraph of your Stage 1 response or the Customer Relations Manager at info@northside-estates.co.uk

Residential Lettings Highwood Estates Agent Head Office
86 – 90 Paul Street,
London,
EC2A 4NE,
United Kingdom

We will acknowledge your escalated complaint within 3 working days. A full review of the complaint will be undertaken, including how it has been handled to date, which may include further investigations into the background of the concerns. Within 15 working days from receipt of the escalation, the findings and recommendations will be set out, in writing, as a ‘final viewpoint’ on how it is believed the complaint can be resolved.

Stage 3 – Property Redress Scheme (PRS)

After you have received the company’s final viewpoint, as outlined above, and are still not satisfied with the proposed resolution, you may approach the Property Redress Scheme (PRS).

Details of how to do this are contained within the final viewpoint letter alongside a link to the PRS consumer guide at www.theprs.co.uk. If you wish to contact PRS, it must be done within 12 months of the date of the final viewpoint letter. It is also important to note that PRS will not consider a complaint for review until our internal complaints procedure has been exhausted.