Say Thank You…
We are committed to improving the service we provide in our communities. To achieve this goal, we must listen and respond to the views of the public. The feedback we receive helps us monitor our performance, which we incorporate into our planning and governance processes to improve our services.
We are keen to hear examples of excellent customer service we have provided and individual acts of bravery or heroism.
You can express your gratitude or share your comments through the following methods:
Online Form
Say thank you or make a complaint
By Email:
complaintsandcompliments@twfire.gov.uk
By Phone:
0191 444 1500
(Office hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
By Post:
Complaint Advisor
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters
Nissan Way
Washington
Sunderland
Tyne and Wear
SR5 3QY
In Person:
at any one of our local community fire stations.
How to Make a Complaint
We are committed to providing high-quality customer service. We value complaints and use them to help improve our services. If something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with our services, please let us know.
Before making a complaint you should ensure you have given us an opportunity to resolve the issue you are raising. You should contact the relevant department first. You can find details of our services on our contact us page. If the department is not able to resolve the issues you can make a complaint.
The complaints process looks at how we have delivered services or reached decisions. Requests for a service should be directed to the relevant department first.
Who can complain?
Anyone who receives, requests or is affected by our services can make a complaint. This includes a third-party representative such as a family member, friend, advice organisation or professional (e.g. social worker, doctor, or solicitor). If you are making a complaint on someone else’s behalf, you will need their written consent.
What can I complain about?
You can complain about things like:
- The behaviour and attitude of an employee involved in delivering a service.
- Quality of the service.
- Delay in service.
- Non-provision of service.
- Refusal to provide service.
- Communication related to the provision of a service.
What can’t I complain about?
There are certain matters that fall outside out compliment and complaint policy and procedure. These include:
- Attempts to reopen a concluded complaint or to reconsider a complaint after we have already provided a final decision.
- A routine first-time request for a service.
- Complaint against a Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority Member or Principal Officer, which must be reported to the Monitoring Officer at Sunderland City Council.
- Issues related to employment matters including misconduct, applications, grievances, pensions and employer liability claims should be directed to Human Resources.
- Expressions of dissatisfaction made through a survey.
- Requests for information where procedures and remedies are established in legislation (e.g. Data Protection 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000)
- Comments regarding service policy.
- Issues related to an insurance claim or instances where legal action has started, or when a complaint is being or has been considered by a court or tribunal.
How to complain
You can submit a complaint using any of the methods listed above. Please provide as much information as possible including:
- The outcome you are seeking.
- Your full name and contact details.
- Detailed information about the complaint.
- A description of what went wrong.
How long do I have to make a complaint?
You should submit your complaint within three months of the issue occurring, or from the time you became aware of the issue.
In exceptional circumstances, we may accept a complaint after the time limit. If you believe the time limit should not apply to your complaint, please explain why.
Our complaints process
All complaints will be acknowledged within 7 days, and we will inform you of who is managing your complaint. Our complaints procedure consists of two stages:
Stage 1 – Complaint resolution
We aim to respond to complaints quickly. If we can resolve a complaint immediately with an explanation, apology, or action to prevent further escalation, we will do so as soon as possible, typically within 14 days.
If the issue is complex and cannot be resolved immediately, it will be referred for a formal investigation. We will provide a written response as soon as possible, usually within 28 days. If our investigation takes longer than 28 days, we will inform you of the revised timeline and keep you updated on our progress.
Stage 2 – Appeal
If you are not satisfied with the response from Stage 1, you have the option to escalate your complaint to a Stage 2 appeal. You must request this escalation within 28 days of receiving the Stage 1 response.
In exceptional circumstances, we may accept a Stage 2 appeal after the time limit. If you believe the time limit should not apply to your complaint, please explain your reasons.
We will provide a written response as soon as possible, usually within 28 days. If our investigation takes longer than 28 days, we will inform you of the revised timeline and keep you updated on our progress.
Find out more about our Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure.
If you are still not satisfied:
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) investigates complaints. You may ask the LGSCO to examine your complaint if:
- You have completed our complaints handling process.
- It has been less than 12 months since you became aware of the matter you wish to complain about.
- The matter has not been (and is not) considered in court.
- You can show how the thing the Service did wrong had a significant impact on you – they call this ‘personal injustice.’
The LGSCO will ask you to fill in a complaint form and provide a copy of our final response to your complaint. You can do this through the LGSCO website or by calling them on 0300 061 0614.