Complaints Procedure

Last updated: August 2026

1. Purpose of this procedure

West Lancs Tutors aims to provide a professional, fair and responsive service to families and tutors.

This procedure explains how concerns and complaints can be raised, how they will be considered and the timescales in which West Lancs Tutors will normally respond.

We welcome feedback and will use complaints to identify where the service could be improved.

2. Who may make a complaint?

A complaint may be made by:

A parent or carer.
A tutor.
A prospective client or tutor.
A person acting on behalf of a child or service user.
Anyone directly affected by the actions of West Lancs Tutors or a tutor introduced through the service.

Where somebody complains on behalf of another adult, West Lancs Tutors may require that person’s permission before discussing personal information.

3. What may be complained about?

Complaints may relate to matters including:

The administration of the tutoring service.
Communication or response times.
The matching or referral process.
Payments, charges, credits or tutor payments.
The conduct or professionalism of a tutor.
The quality or reliability of the service provided.
Failure to follow an agreed policy or procedure.
The handling of personal information.
Discrimination or unfair treatment.

A complaint will not automatically entitle the complainant to a refund, credit or compensation. Each matter will be considered according to its individual circumstances and the applicable terms and policies.

4. Safeguarding concerns

A concern that a child may have been harmed or placed at risk must be reported immediately in accordance with the West Lancs Tutors Safeguarding Policy.

Safeguarding concerns will take priority over this complaints procedure and may be referred to children’s social care, the Local Authority Designated Officer, the police or another appropriate authority.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

5. Resolving minor concerns informally

Many routine issues can be resolved quickly through an informal conversation.

Where appropriate, parents and carers should first discuss ordinary lesson-related matters with the tutor. These might include:

Lesson content.
Homework.
Progress updates.
Minor changes to lesson arrangements.
Routine communication difficulties.

Tutors should first raise routine administrative concerns directly with West Lancs Tutors.

Nobody is required to approach a tutor directly where they feel uncomfortable doing so, where the complaint concerns serious conduct or where the matter involves safeguarding, discrimination, payment administration or confidentiality.

6. Making a formal complaint

Formal complaints should be sent by email to:

admin@westlancstutors.co.uk

The email should use the subject line:

FORMAL COMPLAINT

Where possible, the complaint should include:

The complainant’s name and contact details.
The name of the child or tutor involved, where relevant.
A clear description of the concern.
Relevant dates, lesson details and communications.
Details of any attempt already made to resolve the matter.
Copies of relevant evidence.
The outcome the complainant is seeking.

Complaints should normally be submitted as soon as reasonably possible and preferably within 30 days of the matter arising or becoming known.

A complaint received after this period may still be considered, particularly where there is a reasonable explanation for the delay or the matter is serious.

7. Acknowledging the complaint

West Lancs Tutors will normally acknowledge a formal complaint within three working days.

The acknowledgement may:

Confirm that the complaint has been received.
Request further information or evidence.
Explain how the complaint will be considered.
Provide an estimated response date.
Identify any part of the complaint that must be handled under another policy or referred to an external authority.

8. Considering the complaint

West Lancs Tutors will consider the available information fairly and proportionately.

This may include:

Reviewing relevant emails, forms, payment records and lesson information.
Asking the tutor or family for their account of events.
Requesting further evidence.
Checking the relevant terms, policies or agreed arrangements.
Seeking professional or legal advice.
Referring safeguarding, criminal or regulatory concerns to the appropriate authority.

The person complained about will ordinarily be told the substance of the complaint and given a reasonable opportunity to respond, unless doing so could place somebody at risk or interfere with an external investigation.

West Lancs Tutors will not make promises about an outcome before the relevant information has been considered.

9. Response times

West Lancs Tutors aims to provide a written response within 10 working days of receiving all information reasonably required to consider the complaint.

Where a complaint is complex, involves several people or depends on information from an external organisation, more time may be required.

If a full response cannot be provided within 10 working days, the complainant will be informed of:

The reason for the delay.
Any progress made.
Any further information required.
The expected date of the response.

10. Possible outcomes

After considering the complaint, West Lancs Tutors may:

Uphold the complaint in full or in part.
Decide that the complaint is not upheld.
Provide an explanation or clarification.
Offer an apology.
Correct an administrative error.
Issue an appropriate refund or account credit.
Adjust or end a tuition arrangement.
Identify a different tutor where reasonably possible.
Pause or end a tutor’s referrals.
Amend a policy, procedure or working practice.
Provide additional guidance to a tutor.
Refer the matter to an appropriate external authority.
Decide that no further action is required.

Any financial remedy will be considered in accordance with the relevant terms, cancellation policy, lessons delivered and individual circumstances.

Information about confidential action involving another person may not be disclosed to the complainant.

11. Written outcome

The written response will normally include:

A summary of the complaint considered.
The information taken into account.
The decision reached.
The reasons for the decision.
Any action that West Lancs Tutors is able to disclose.
Information about requesting a review.

12. Requesting a review

If the complainant believes that relevant information was overlooked or that the procedure was not followed fairly, they may request a review.

A review request should be sent to admin@westlancstutors.co.uk within 10 working days of the written outcome.

The request should explain:

Why the complainant believes the outcome or process should be reconsidered.
What relevant information was overlooked.
Whether any significant new evidence is available.

As West Lancs Tutors is operated by a sole trader, it may not be possible to provide a separate internal decision-maker. The review will nevertheless reconsider the complaint, the original response and any relevant new information.

Where appropriate, independent professional advice may be obtained.

A final written response will normally be provided within 10 working days of receiving the review request or any additional information required.

13. External options

If the complaint remains unresolved after the internal procedure has been completed, the final response will explain any relevant external options.

Depending on the nature of the complaint, these may include:

Contacting Citizens Advice for consumer advice.
Reporting a safeguarding concern to the relevant local authority or police.
Raising a data-protection concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Using an appropriate Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, where available and agreed.
Exercising any applicable legal rights.

West Lancs Tutors is not currently committed to participating in a particular Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme unless required to do so.

Nothing in this procedure limits a person’s statutory rights.

14. Data-protection complaints

Concerns about the handling of personal information should initially be sent to:

admin@westlancstutors.co.uk

The email should use the subject line:

DATA PROTECTION CONCERN

If the concern cannot be resolved, the individual may have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Further information is provided in the West Lancs Tutors Privacy Notice.

15. Complaints about discrimination

West Lancs Tutors will take complaints involving discrimination, harassment, victimisation or unequal treatment seriously.

Such complaints will be considered sensitively and may result in tuition arrangements or tutor referrals being paused while the matter is reviewed.

16. Unreasonable or abusive behaviour

West Lancs Tutors will remain respectful when handling complaints and expects the same standard of communication from everybody involved.

West Lancs Tutors may restrict the method or frequency of contact where communications become:

Abusive, threatening or discriminatory.
Persistently repetitive without presenting relevant new information.
Excessive to the point that they prevent the reasonable operation of the service.
Directed at individuals who are not responsible for handling the complaint.

A complainant will not be treated as unreasonable merely because they are persistent, upset or disagree with the outcome.

Any restriction will be proportionate and will not prevent a genuine safeguarding concern or significant new evidence from being considered.

17. Confidentiality

Complaints will be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible.

Information may be shared where necessary to:

Consider and respond to the complaint.
Give the person complained about an opportunity to respond.
Protect a child or another person.
Obtain professional advice.
Meet a legal or regulatory obligation.

Complaint records will be stored securely and retained in accordance with the West Lancs Tutors Privacy Notice.

18. Anonymous complaints

Anonymous complaints may be considered where enough information is provided to identify a serious concern or potential risk.

However, it may not be possible to investigate fully, request clarification or provide a response where the complainant cannot be identified or contacted.

19. No disadvantage for raising a complaint

Nobody will be treated unfairly for raising a genuine concern or complaint in good faith.

Deliberately false or malicious allegations may, however, be treated as a serious matter.

20. Review of this procedure

This procedure will be reviewed periodically and may be updated following:

Changes to the tutoring service.
Relevant legal or regulatory changes.
Feedback received through complaints.
Identification of improvements to complaint handling.

West Lancs Tutors
Email: admin@westlancstutors.co.uk