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Comments, compliments and complaints
You are our top priority. We want to know how we are doing and we want to resolve any concerns as quickly as possible.
Comment
A comment is a suggestion or observation about a service delivered by us, a supplier or partner.
Compliment
A compliment is praise for an individual or a service delivered by us, a supplier or partner.
Complaint
We define a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction, where you feel any of the following has happened:
- Failure to provide a service, or experience of dissatisfaction with the way we have provided a service
- Unreasonable delays with the provision of a service
- Dissatisfaction with the way a policy has been applied or a decision made
- Failure to fulfil our statutory responsibilities
- Provision of inaccurate or false information and advice to you
- The conduct of staff, partners or contractors has been inappropriate
Before you make a complaint
We do not include initial requests for a service as part of our complaints process.
These requests will be directed to the right team to manage as part of their normal processes.
Examples of service requests include:
- Reporting an abandoned vehicle
- Reporting fly tipping
- A missed bin collection
If you’ve already reported it and we failed to do something, then a complaint can be raised.
How can I raise a concern?
Please read our customer complaints policy below and understand whether you should make a complaint or whether there is an alternative way of contacting us.
Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
As a member of the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and the Housing Ombudsman (HO), we are required to comply with the requirements of the newly formed joint Complaint Handling Code (“The Code”) and take action to ensure our complaint handling procedures are in line with The Code. The joint Complaint Handling Code is the first time two Ombudsman schemes (LGO & HO) have worked together on a unified Code and to help raise the standard of complaint handling across housing and local government services.
View EFDC’s Complaint Self-Assessment which assess our compliance to The joint Complaint Handing Code:
Annual complaints performance report
This report details EFDC Complaints Performance as a Council for 2023-2024.
As well as performance, the report also details the next steps The Council aim to take by way of moving forward.
Cllr Smruti Patel, Transformation & Customer Portfolio Holder and Member Responsible for Complaints had this to say about the EFDC Annual Complaints Report 2023-2024:
Epping Forest District Council received 1,204 formal complaints, of which 48% met the criteria of a Formal Complaint as per the Complaints Policy, giving an average of 23 complaints per week.
The goal of Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) is to address complaints promptly and effectively, ensuring that residents feel heard and valued. EFDC will continue to train employees on best practices for complaint resolution and consistently monitor performance to make improvements as needed. Transparency and accountability are key principles in the approach to complaints management, ensuring lessons learnt and agreed ways forward are captured. EFDC welcome feedback from residents and are committed to using it to drive positive change within the organisation.
Clear communication and follow-up on resolutions are also crucial components of the complaints management process. EFDC track and monitor all complaints from initial contact through to resolution, making sure that residents are kept informed every step of the way. The aim is to provide timely and fair outcomes for all complaints, and to learn from each experience to continuously improve our services and prevent similar issues from arising in the future.