Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy

1. Introduction

This is Quartet’s public policy for comments, compliments and complaints. Anyone who uses our services, or any member of the public, can use it. This policy aims to help you understand our procedure for dealing with your comments, compliments, and complaints.  We welcome your feedback on our service; your comments, suggestions and complaints can help us improve our services for everyone.  We hope that in the first instance any concerns you have can be dealt with informally with a member of staff. Sometimes an issue is more serious or cannot be resolved informally. Therefore, we have a formal complaints procedure as detailed in this policy. We take complaints very seriously and we treat them as an opportunity to develop.  We are grateful therefore to hear from people who are willing to take the time to help us improve and will always thank people who contact us with their reasonable feedback about their experiences. 

If you work for, or are involved with, a charity or voluntary group, or have made a grant application to Quartet, making a complaint will not affect your chances of receiving a grant from us.  Whilst we are happy to speak to you or meet with you informally to hear your feedback or concerns at any time, formal complaints must be made in writing, and this procedure therefore deals with written communications only.

2. What can you complain about?

If you think we have failed to provide a satisfactory standard of service, please let us know by making a complaint, either formally or informally.  A complaint might be about delays, discourtesy, conduct or mistakes, or you might have found our application process difficult to understand or unclear. We will consider and respond to complaints concerning:

• inappropriate behaviour by Quartet representatives;
• length of time taken to offer or refuse a grant or respond to an enquiry;
• Quartet not doing what it says it will do, either in general publicity or in correspondence with individuals or groups; or
• discrimination.

Our complaints procedure is not an appeals system against appropriately reached grant-making decisions.In all Quartet’s grant-making, care is taken to assess all applications against published criteria in a consistent and equitable way. When sending a decision notification to an applicant, Quartet will explain in writing as clearly as possible why the application was not successful. 

Decisions made by the Community Foundation on grants awards are final, and there is no appeal process for individual grant decisions. However, concerns may be raised or complaints made about decisions and the grant making process. Also, there may be occasions when an individual wishes to make a complaint about an organisation that Quartet has awarded a grant to. If an applicant has a complaint about the decision on their application – or another individual/party has a complaint about a decision – then follow the procedure outlined in this policy.

Please be aware that Quartet will  not consider complaints concerning:

• the decision to offer a grant or to not offer a grant (we do however supply individual feedback alongside our grant decisions);
• the amount offered as a grant;
• changes to Quartet’s grant making policies; or
• the activities of grant holders.

We also cannot promise to  respond to complaints not directly relating to something we have done – we talk more about this in Section 8.

3. How can you contact us to give us your feedback or to complain?

In this section we give you options as to how you may contact us. 

Who can you speak or write to? 

If you are comfortable doing so, it is very likely that any feedback or issues you have can be satisfactorily resolved by talking informally, and as soon as possible after the event arises, directly to the person with whom you have been most involved at Quartet, or a manager.  This can be done informally via a telephone conversation or email, but will not on its own constitute a formal complaint.  To make a formal complaint, you will need to do this in writing, using one of the methods suggested below. Quartet trustees, staff, committee and panel members and volunteers may also raise concerns under the Quartet’s separate Whistle Blowing Policy.

If your concern relates to the conduct of  a member of our staff, then please initially contact the Chief Executive or other relevant senior member of staff.  If your concern relates to the conduct of the Chief Executive or of one of Quartet’s Trustees,then please make initial contact with the Chair of Trustees.  If you have a complaint concerning the Chair of Trustees, then please direct your complaint to the full board of Trustees.  Contact details are given below.

How can you contact us?  

To submit a formal complaint, you can:

1. email us:

You can send an email explaining that you wish to make a complaint to your usual Quartet Community Foundation contact, or to one of the following, as appropriate:

• the Chief Executive, Anna Smith at:   anna.smith@quartetcf.org.uk
• the Chair of Trustees or in the event of wishing to make a complaint concerning the Chair of Trustees, the full board of Trustees at: info@quartetcf.org.uk (your email will be forwarded sensitively accordingly).

2. write to us:

             Quartet Community Foundation

             Royal Oak House

             Royal Oak Avenue

             Bristol. BS1 4GB.

We recommend that you send complaints as Signed For and obtain proof of delivery to ensure that the complaint has reached Quartet.

If you are unable to email or write to us to make your formal complaint due to an access issue, you can request a meeting to agree the content of your submission which will be logged on your behalf.  Please make this clear when getting in touch with us by calling us on 0117 989 7700. 

4. Help us to put things right

However you choose to make contact:

• Please include your name, address and a contact telephone number with your email or letter, so that we can get back in touch with you easily. We will not use the personal data shared by you in your complaint for any other purposes than investigating and responding to your complaint. 
• It is easier to put things right if you are clear about why you are not satisfied and what action you would like us to take.  You may wish to use the form at the end of this procedure document to make your statement, or use it as checklist to help you decide what you want to say to us.
• Please let us know your concerns  as soon as possible after the event or circumstances you wish to complain about have occurred.  It is hard to deal fairly and accurately with a complaint made a long time after the problem occurred. 

In order to protect our staff’s wellbeing, the manner in which a complaint is made and communicated must not demonstrate unacceptable behaviour at any stage. This includes any behaviour or language that causes staff to feel intimidated, offended, threatened, or abused, or that shows a deliberate intention to cause annoyance or be deceitful. In such situations, we will take reasonable steps to protect our staff, while also explaining what behaviour we consider unacceptable so that it can be addressed and changed.

5.  What happens to your comment, compliment or complaint?

Your written communications with us will be dealt with promptly. Whilst feedback and compliments may not require further response we will always aim to thank you for your feedback. For complaints we will acknowledge receipt of a written complaint within five  working days of receipt.  Quartet maintains a register of written compliments, comments and complaints, and your communication will be logged, and tracked on our register of comments, compliments and complaints, to ensure we are dealing with it appropriately, and so that we have a means of reviewing and learning from the exchange.  

In most cases,  you will receive a full written reply to your complaint within 10 days. Usually this will be from the Chief Executive, other than in case of complaints directed to the Chair of Trustees, when the response will come directly from the person to whom the complaint was directed.   If we cannot give you a full reply within 10 days, we will write to tell you why and let you know what we are doing to deal with your complaint.  If the complaint is complex, we aim to let you have a full reply within two calendar months. Again, we will write to tell you the reasons why your complains is complex within 10 days.

If you are not satisfied with our reply to your complaint, you can ask the Board of Trustees to review it as described in Section 6 below.  The Board of Trustees can only look at complaints that have been considered first by the people named above.

6.  What happens if you are unhappy with how we have addressed your complaint?

Please give us us sufficient time to enable any agreed actions in response to your complaint to be implemented.  If after this time you do not feel your complaint has been adequately addressed, you may write to the Chair of Trustees (or full Board of Trustees if your complaint concerns the Chair), requesting a review.  The Chair, or full Board of Trustees as the case may be, will then take appropriate action, and will aim to respond within 28days of the request for review.  This response will be our last on the matter, and we will not enter into any further correspondence on the subject of the complaint once you have received it. 

If you are not satisfied with this final outcome, we are regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and further information about how you can complain can be found at gov.uk/complain-about-charity including any complaints about fundraising that can be reported to the Fundraising Regulator.

7.  What happens to your compliment, comment or complaint once it has been dealt with?

Our register of written comments, compliments, or complaints received will be summarised to Quartet’s Governance Committee, which meets regularly.  This Committee has delegated powers from the Board to help Quartet to fulfil its governance and operational roles.  The Committee in turn will report to the Board. The Committee and Board will look to use the information we have learned from your communications with us to improve our service and the way we operate.

Our register of written complaints made and the steps taken to put things right will remain a confidential record at Quartet.  To process your complaint we will hold personal data about you, and will hold this securely in accordance with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, and only use it to help address the complaint.  Your identity will only be made known to those who need to consider the complaint and will not be revealed to other people or made public.  It may not be possible to preserve confidentiality in some circumstances however, where relevant laws or legislation applies or allegations are made which involve the conduct of third parties. 

We will normally destroy complaints files in a secure manner two years after the complaint is closed, unless there is a business reason not to do so.

8.  Are there any situations where we won’t respond to a complaint at all?

Yes, but rarely.  Situations where we might choose not to respond to a complaint at all include:

• When a complaint is about something that Quartet has no direct connection to.  In this situation we may choose to reply to clear our name if appropriate, or to suggest another organisation who may be better placed to assist with your concern, but we are not obliged to;
• When a complaint is made about an organisation to whom Quartet has made a grant. In this situation, depending on the nature of the complaint, Quartet may use the information to inform its internal grant monitoring processes.  We may also decide to pass information on to other public bodies such as the police or the Charity Commission in particular instances – or recommend that you do so.  We are not normally obliged to do any of these things however;
• If a complainant is demonstrating unacceptable behaviour. This includes behaviour or language in any form that causes staff to feel intimidated, offended, threatened, or abused, or where there is deliberate intention to cause annoyance or be deceitful. In this situation, we will take reasonable actions to protect our staff, but will also make efforts to explain what behaviour we deem to be unacceptable so that it can be changed;
• If a complainant is demonstrating unreasonable behaviour. This includes refusal to accept decisions or other behaviour that is unreasonably demanding or persistent, for example if someone unreasonably pursues a complaint that we have already responded to. In this situation we will always inform the complainant of our decision to stop responding. 
• Where a complaint is incoherent or illegible. In this situation we will make reasonable efforts to understand more details in order to make the complaint coherent or legible;
• Where a complaint has been sent to us and other organisations as part of a bulk mailing or email.  In this instance we will choose whether to reply or not;
• Where a complaint has been made anonymously.  In this situation we will however investigate the complaint and use the information to improve in any way that we can;
• Where we believe or suspect any illegal activity has taken place. In this situation we will report to the relevant authorities and may obtain legal advice before engaging with the complainant.

9. Policy Review

Ref:	Draft:	Approved / Implemented:	Review due:
P02	2014	2016 / Gov, HR & Ops committee	To be kept under review in line with GDPR
			Full Review 2021
	March 2026	Endorsed by Gov Committee then approved by Board of Trustees.	March 2028 (2 Years following approval)

Quick Guide

1. Talk to us first: Most issues can be resolved informally.
2. Formal complaints: Must be in writing (email or post).
3. Include: Your name, contact details, why you’re unhappy, and what you’d like us to do.
4. Response times: We will acknowledge within 5 working days.
5. Full response within 10 working days (or up to 2 months if complex)
6. Escalation: If unhappy, request review by Chair or Board. Final response within 28 days.
7. Still dissatisfied? Contact Charity Commission or Fundraising Regulator.

We Value Your Feedback

Your views help us improve our services. Whether you have a comment, a compliment, or a complaint, we want to hear from you. If you are an applicant, sharing feedback will never affect your chances of receiving a grant.

What Can You Complain About?

You can complain if you believe we have not provided a satisfactory standard of service. Examples include:

• Delays in responding to enquiries or decisions.
• Discourtesy or inappropriate behaviour.
• Failure to do what we said we would do.
• Discrimination.

Please note:

We do not offer an appeal process for grant decisions, but we do always provide feedback. Complaints about grant amounts, policy changes, or activities of grant holders will not be considered.

How to Make a Complaint

We encourage informal resolution first by speaking to your usual contact or a manager. For a formal complaint, please write to us:

• By Email:

Chief Executive: anna.smith@quartetcf.org.uk

Chair of Trustees (or Board if complaint concerns Chair): info@quartetcf.org.uk

• By Post: Quartet Community Foundation

Royal Oak House, Royal Oak Avenue

Bristol BS1 4GB

We recommend sending letters via Signed For delivery.

• Call us on 0117 989 7700 if you are unable to make a formal complaint in writing due to access needs.

What to Include

• Your name, address, and contact details.
• Why you are not satisfied.
• What you would like us to do to put things right.
• Please raise concerns as soon as possible after the event.

What Happens Next?

We acknowledge complaints within 5 working days.

We aim to respond fully within 10 working days (or within 2 months for complex cases).

If you are unhappy with our response, you may request a review by the Chair of Trustees or the Board. They will respond within 28 days. This will be our final response.

If you remain dissatisfied, you can contact:

• Charity Commission
• Fundraising Regulator

Confidentiality & Data Protection

We handle complaints in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Your details will only be shared with those involved in resolving your complaint. Records are kept securely and normally destroyed after two years.

When We May Not Respond

We may not respond if:

• The complaint is unrelated to Quartet
• It concerns another organisation we funded (though we may use the info internally)
• The complaint is abusive, incoherent, or part of a bulk mailing
• Illegal activity is suspected (we will report to authorities)

Unacceptable Behaviour

We will take reasonable steps to protect staff from intimidation, threats, or persistent unreasonable behaviour. This includes: Behaviour or language in any form that causes staff to feel intimidated, offended, threatened, or abused, or where there is deliberate intention to cause annoyance or be deceitful; or refusal to accept decisions or other behaviour that is unreasonably demanding or persistent, for example if someone unreasonably pursues a complaint that we have already responded to. We will explain what behaviour is unacceptable and may stop responding if it continues.

Further Details:

This page is an overview of Quartet’s Comments, Compliments & Complaints Policy. For any further details or clarifications about our policy or procedure, please contact us via info@quartetcf.org.uk or call 0117 989 7700.

Last reviewed: March 2026 | Next review: March 2028