Complaints Procedure for Hedge Trimming Seven Sisters
We are committed to providing a consistent, reliable hedge care service across our service area and to handling concerns about that service promptly and fairly. This complaints procedure explains how residents and property managers can raise concerns about hedge trimming, shrub pruning or boundary maintenance, how we will respond, and what they can expect during the review. The procedure is intended for all aspects of hedge maintenance, including regular hedge trimming, intensive shaping and seasonal reductions carried out by the gardening team.Our aim is to resolve complaints quickly while ensuring that investigations are thorough and impartial. We treat every concern with respect, record all details accurately and use findings to improve the quality of our green maintenance operations. This policy applies to on-site work, site visits, and any follow-up actions such as corrective trimming or remedial vegetation care. Clarity and fairness guide each stage of our response.
Scope and definitions: A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our hedge trimming service, including missed appointments, damage to plantings, access or scheduling disputes, or the standard of work. For clarity, terms like "hedge maintenance Seven Sisters", "local hedge trimming", and "hedge care services" are used here to reflect the types of activities covered by this complaints framework. To help us act quickly, please include the date and location of the work, a brief description of the issue, and whether any immediate safety concerns exist.
How to make a complaint
Complaints should be submitted in writing where possible so we have an accurate record, but we will accept a clearly-stated verbal complaint raised during or after a site visit. When you make a complaint, we will confirm receipt within a standard acknowledgement period and record the concern in our complaints register. Information provided will be used only for handling the complaint and improving our hedge trimming operations within the service area.
Information we will collect
To investigate efficiently, we usually ask for:- Date and time of the work or event;
- Exact location or boundary affected;
- Brief description of the issue (e.g., cut too low, damage to adjoining planting, missed scheduled trimming);
- Any supporting material such as photographs or a sketch of the affected hedge.
We will open a formal complaint file and assign a complaints handler who will be your point of contact for updates. Timescales: initial acknowledgement is generally issued within three working days, a substantive response or proposed resolution within ten working days, and a final outcome — if further inspection is required — within twenty working days of receipt. If additional specialist input is needed for plant health or legal boundary matters, we will advise on expected delays and next steps.
Investigation and resolution
The complaints handler will review records of the scheduled job, crew notes, and any photographic evidence. Where practical, we will conduct an on-site inspection to assess the hedge condition. Investigations seek to clarify whether work deviated from agreed specifications, whether health and safety standards were maintained, or if unforeseeable circumstances affected the result. We aim to be transparent about findings and the rationale behind any remedy offered.
Possible outcomes and remedies may include one or more of the following: an apology and explanation, corrective rework by qualified hedge trimming staff at no extra charge, a partial or full refund where appropriate, or changes to scheduling and work plans for future visits. Remedies are chosen to restore the property or service to the expected standard and to address any demonstrable loss or inconvenience caused by our hedge maintenance activities.
Escalation, review and continuous improvement
If the complainant is not satisfied with the remedy or the handling of the complaint, an internal review can be requested. The review is undertaken by a senior manager who was not involved in the original investigation. We will document the review outcome and any policy changes resulting from sustained issues. All complaints are logged and analysed periodically to identify systemic improvements in hedge pruning technique, crew communication, scheduling, and customer liaison. Learning from complaints is part of our service commitment.Record keeping and confidentiality
We keep complaint records securely and only for as long as necessary to fulfil legal, operational and improvement purposes. Personal data associated with a complaint is handled in accordance with applicable data protection standards and is not disclosed beyond the authorised staff engaged in the investigation. Records support transparent review and are used to refine service delivery across our hedge trimming and garden management work.Final notes on expectations
We endeavour to be fair, prompt and proportionate when responding to concerns about hedge care or pruning activities. While we cannot guarantee every outcome requested, we commit to a reasoned response and to offering appropriate remedies where mistakes or lapses in service have occurred. This complaints procedure ensures accountability and helps maintain the quality of our hedge maintenance services.Where agreement cannot be reached internally, complainants may seek independent advice or review from a relevant consumer or industry body. Our process is designed to resolve the majority of concerns at the local level, improving both the client experience and the standards of our hedge trimming operations across the area.