Legal notice

COMPLAINTS POLICY

1. Our commitment

Dementia Life CIC (“Dementia Life”, “we”, “us”) is committed to delivering high standards in everything we do, including how we raise funds. We value all feedback, and we take every complaint seriously. A complaint gives us the chance to put something right and to learn from it so that we do better in future.

This policy explains what counts as a complaint, how to make one, how we will handle it, and what to do if you are not satisfied with our response. It applies to complaints about our fundraising and about the conduct of anyone fundraising on our behalf, including staff, volunteers and third parties.

We are committed to meeting the standards set out in the Code of Fundraising Practice and we are registered with the Fundraising Regulator.

2. What is a complaint?

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about our fundraising activity or the way we have behaved while raising funds. This might include, for example:

•     The tone, frequency or content of a fundraising request or communication;

•     The conduct of a member of staff, a volunteer or a third party fundraising on our behalf;

•     The way a donation has been handled or processed;

•     How we have used or stored your personal information in connection with fundraising;

•     A fundraising campaign, appeal or piece of marketing material.

If you have a general query, or wish to update your contact preferences rather than raise a concern, you do not need to use this process — please simply get in touch with us using the contact details below and we will be glad to help.

3. How to make a complaint

You can make a complaint in whichever way is easiest for you. Please give us as much detail as you can, including what happened, when it happened, anyone involved, and how you would like us to put things right. This helps us look into your complaint as quickly and fully as possible.

Contact details

Email: chat@dementialife.org

Post: Cambridge House, 16 High St, Saffron Walden CB10 1AX

Online: via the contact form at dementialife.org

If you need to make a complaint in another format, or need any adjustment to take part in this process, please let us know and we will do everything we reasonably can to assist.

4. How we will handle your complaint

We will deal with your complaint fairly, confidentially and as quickly as we reasonably can. Wherever possible, we will resolve it ourselves, in-house. Our process is as follows:

1.   Acknowledgement. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days of receiving it, and tell you who is handling it.

2.   Investigation. We will look into what happened. Where we reasonably can, the complaint will be considered by someone who was not directly involved in the matter being complained about. If your complaint concerns a particular member of staff or volunteer, they will be given a fair opportunity to respond.

3.   Response. We will send you a full response within 20 working days of acknowledgement. If we cannot respond fully in that time — for example, because the matter is complex — we will tell you why, keep you updated, and give you a clear date by which you can expect our full response.

4.   Putting things right. Where we have got something wrong, we will say so and take proportionate steps to put it right. This may include an apology, a change to how we do things, or another appropriate remedy. Please note that we are not able to offer financial compensation. We will also tell you about anything we have learned and any changes we have made as a result of your complaint.

5. If you are still not satisfied

If you are unhappy with our response, please tell us and ask for your complaint to be reviewed. A senior member of our team or a trustee who has not previously been involved will review the matter and respond to you.

If we are still unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can ask the Fundraising Regulator to consider it. The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You should normally raise your complaint with the Fundraising Regulator within two months of receiving our final response.

Website: www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk

Telephone: 0300 999 3407

Post: Fundraising Regulator, 2nd Floor, CAN Mezzanine Building, 49–51 East Road, London N1 6AH

If your complaint relates to fundraising in Scotland, it should instead be directed to the Scottish Fundraising Adjudication Panel (www.goodfundraising.scot).

If your complaint concerns how we have handled your personal data, you may also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

6. Recording and learning from complaints

We keep a confidential record of all complaints we receive, including the nature of the complaint, how it was handled, the outcome, and any action taken. We review these records regularly so that we can identify patterns, learn from what has gone wrong, and improve our fundraising. Our trustees receive a summary of complaints as part of their oversight of our work.

7. Unreasonable or abusive behaviour

We treat everyone who contacts us with courtesy and respect, and we ask for the same in return. In the rare event that a complainant behaves in a way that is abusive, threatening or unreasonable — for example, repeatedly raising the same complaint after it has been fully addressed — we may decide to limit our contact with that person. If we take this step, we will explain our reasons in writing.

8. Review of this policy

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and sooner if there are relevant changes to the Code of Fundraising Practice or to how we operate.