Complaints handling procedure

What you can expect from us

We take complaints very seriously. If you have complained, we are sorry that you have felt a need to complain.

Our procedure

This procedure has been prepared for your benefit in plain language.

The purpose of this procedure will be to arrive at a conclusion that will be mutually agreeable to you, the complainant, and to us as a company which is entrusted to enforce High Court judgments or orders.

What to expect

Your complaint must relate to enforcement action in which you are personally involved. We cannot consider complaints arising out of you watching or reading material published on the internet or other media, for example, that relating to the eviction of trespassers.

As you will appreciate in order for us to fully investigate your complaint we would ask that you provide the following information to us:

  • Your full name
  • Your business name
  • Your home and business address
  • Our reference number
  • Parties to the writ
  • Date(s) our enforcement agent called to your address
  • A clear statement of your complaint (why you are aggrieved)
  • Any documentation that you feel will be useful in support of your complaint
  • An indication of what you are looking for to satisfy your complaint

N.B. We would ask that you stick only to the facts and avoid speculation.

Acknowledgement

We will always try and acknowledge your complaint within 24-48 hours.

Investigation

Our Complaints Team will carry out a full internal investigation regarding your complaint.

Some complaints are complex in their nature and therefore please allow up to 40 working days for a full written response.

What if I disagree with the Complaint Officer’s decision?

Should you disagree with the response, then your complaint will be referred to a Senior Manager for a final decision.

Notes for general guidance

We will not investigate any complaints regarding the following:

  • Complaints that are over 12 months from the act that has caused your complaint
  • Complaints about whether a writ is legal, as this is a matter for the Courts to decide
  • Complaints about the amount being enforced for on the writ. This should be directed to the judgment creditor or the Court
  • Complaints about the law, rather than the enforcement action, High Court Enforcement Officer, or the enforcement agent, as this is a matter for the Court
  • Complaints that are awaiting an outcome from the Courts
  • Complaints that are of a frivolous or vexatious nature
  • Complaints about other High Court Enforcement Officers
  • Complaints about other enforcement agencies

You can write to the High Court Enforcement Officers Association if you are unhappy regarding the outcome of your complaint at this address:

High Court Enforcement Officers Association Limited
Suite S31, Northwich Business Centre
Meadow Street
Northwich
CW9 5BF

Please enclose all correspondence from you to us and from us to you, so that the Association has a full picture of what has been said.

You may seek legal recourse through the courts; however, you may wish to obtain legal advice for this course of action.

All correspondence concerning your complaint should be addressed to:

The Complaints Officer
The Sheriffs Office
Vaughan Thomas House
141 Walter Road
Swansea
SA1 5RW

enforcement@thesheriffsoffice.com