Please review our customer charter below or click here to download a copy.
We are an independent advice charity. We believe that everyone should have somewhere to turn to for help and advice.
We want to ensure that you have a positive experience of using our advice services.
Our Commitment To You
Confidentiality
We will provide you with a confidential advice service. This means that we will keep your information safe and we will not tell other people (even your family or friends) or other agencies about your visit or your issues. If you need us to pass on information in order to help you resolve your issue we will get your specific consent.
Respect
We will treat you fairly and respectfully. This means that we will not judge you or tell you what to do, nor will we treat one person more favourably than another.
Quality
Our trained advisers will give you their full attention. We will always have a team of supervisors available to oversee our work with you and ensure that the service you receive is accurate and of high quality.
Time
We give everyone as much time as they need and don’t rush our work. This means that you may have to wait before speaking to one of our advisers. However, once it is your turn we will give you all the time you need.
Feedback
We encourage feed-back on our service. Information about how to make a comment or a complaint is available from any of our team.
Your Right To Complain
We will deal with your complaint confidentially and quickly. There are several ways to make a complaint (in person, in writing, by phone or by email).
If your complaint is about money or debt advice, and you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you may then refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and our unique registration is FRN: 617741.
What We Ask Of You
Please behave in a way which is sensitive and respectful of the needs of other clients and our team.
What You Can Expect As A Client of Citizens Advice
Access To Our Services
You do not need to make an appointment at one of our walk-in services. Nor do you need to book to use the telephone advice or email advice services as these are available on demand Monday – Friday. Full details of our services are available from anyone of our team and they are published on our website.
Gathering Information
During your interview we’ll take notes about you and your enquiry. We will ask for your permission (consent) to store this information in our database, but you may remain anonymous if you wish.
Delivering Your Advice
At first we will be focused on making certain that we understand how we can help you. Once we have completed this assessment we will conduct research and provide you with an explanation of your options and next steps.
Occasionally the help you need is not immediately available when you first contact us. If this is the case we will arrange a telephone or email call back.
we provide. We ensure that information about you is held securely and our systems are compliant with GDPR and the relevant Data Protection legislation.
We are registered with the Information Commission. Our registration number is; Z6631380. You can find out more about how we store and use data in our Privacy Policy. Full details are published on our website or you can ask for a copy at reception
Sometimes we will ask you to sit back in the waiting room until someone is available. Occasionally we may have to ask you to come back.
Paperwork
We may need to see your original documents, for example a tenancy agreement, and take copies. We will give you back all your original paperwork.
Cancelling follow on appointments
If you need to cancel an appointment that has been arranged with you please leave a message on: 01935 847 688. Please note that we are not able to take other requests via this message service.
Waiting
We are always trying to reduce our waiting times. When we are busy you may wait for more than an hour. We will do our best to give you an idea of how long you may be waiting and keep you informed at all times
Customer Satisfaction
We want to make sure that you receive a high quality service from us and we will invite you to give us feedback. Feedback will be gathered on our behalf by a trusted third party agency employed through National Citizens Advice.
Conflict of Interest
Very occasionally we are asked to help people who are in dispute with each other. We will not help both parties because this creates a conflict of interest. If this situation arises we will signpost one of the parties to another source of help.
