Our goal is to give excellent service to all of our customers, but we recognise that things can occasionally go wrong. We take all complaints we receive seriously and aim to resolve all of our customers’ problems fairly, promptly and efficiently.

We are members of DEMSA (Debt Managers Standards Association) and follow their voluntary code, which encourages higher standards for the benefit of customers. To ensure that we provide the kind of service you expect we welcome your feedback.

If you have any issues relating to the work your Insolvency Practitioner undertakes (only applicable for IVA or PTD clients), you should refer this directly to your Insolvency Practitioner who will inform you of their own complaint handling procedure as relevant.

If at any time you are not happy with the service that we have given please telephone the business area you usually deal with in order to explain your concerns. Calls may be recorded and /or monitored for quality purposes. Alternatively, if you want to write to us please send your complaint to: Compliance Department, Baines & Ernst Limited, Lloyds House, 18 – 22 Lloyd Street, Manchester M2 5BE.

We aim to resolve all complaints satisfactorily within 10 working days of receipt; although where more detailed investigation is required the process may take longer. You will be kept informed of the time scale that will be required for us to investigate your complaint.

If we are unable to do resolve your complaint by the end of the next working day following receipt, we will write to you within 5 working days of receipt and inform you who is dealing with it.

We will review all necessary documentation and information to enable us to carry out a thorough investigation of your complaint. Most of our customers’ concerns can be resolved quickly but occasionally more detailed enquiries are needed. In some instances we may need you to provide us with further information or relevant authority to contact a third party.

Once an investigation of your concerns has been made, we will provide a written response to confirm our findings and the proposed resolution. Within 10 working days of receipt of your complaint we will provide you with a full written response. However, if we have been unable to complete our investigation within 10 working days we will provide you with an update at that time.

Our intended maximum response period for our final written response is 8 weeks from receipt of your original complaint. However, if we have been unable to complete our investigation within 8 weeks of receipt we will provide you with a further update at that time.

Clearly, we would always want to resolve any concerns you raise with us internally. However, should you remain dissatisfied following our final written response, or 8 weeks have elapsed since you raised your complaint with us and you and you are not happy with the progress made and wish to take this further, you can refer the matter to:

The General Secretary, Debt Managers Standards Association Ltd (DEMSA), West Point, Westland Square, Leeds, LS11 5SS, Tel: 0113 277 7610, Fax: 0113 2773586 e-mail: info@demsa.co.uk or visit www.demsa.co.uk

And / or

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SR. Tel: 0845 080 1800. We are subject to the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Please note that both organisations provide a free independent complaint handling service. A copy of our Complaints Handling Procedure and also the DEMSA Code of Conduct is available from us upon request.

Following our Complaints Handling Procedures does not affect your right to take independent legal advice.