code of practice

Introduction

Anywhere Care is required by Ofcom to publish a Code of Practice containing details and information on how we work to resolve customer complaints, disputes, and the options available to you if we can’t do that within 8 weeks. This code applies to you if you’re an Anywhere Care consumer, or small business customer.

Anywhere Care provides a range of services, including services for customers with disabilities.

Terms and Conditions

When you first enter into agreement with us you’ll receive a set of terms and conditions which means that we’re agreeing to provide you with telephone, billing and customer services. A copy of the terms and conditions that apply to you can be downloaded from our website, or by contacting us.

Complaint handling and alternative dispute resolution procedures

We hope that you will never have reason to complain about any of our services. However, if there is something that you are not happy with, you should firstly contact Customer Services. We will do our best to resolve your issue swiftly where we can, but there may be times when it may take a little longer to sort out.

Anywhere Care Complaints Procedure

Step 1 - Contact Customer Services

If you need to contact us, you can do so by phone, email, or letter.

You can call us between 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday. Charges may apply when calling from your Anywhere Care phone, they can be found at Terms And Conditions. You can also check your price plan or non-standard price guides to find out more. Please remember that calls to Anywhere Care may be monitored and recorded for training purposes.

Our postal address, phone number and email address can be found HERE.

The Customer Services Team will be working towards contacting you within 72 hours of receiving your complaint. If we cannot get hold of you by phone, we will email you if you have provided us with your email address, or we will write to you. We aim to resolve your complaint within this time period too.

Step 2 - Escalate the complaint

If you are not satisfied with our initial response, you can either ask for us to reconsider the issue, or, you have the option to discuss the issue with a Customer Service Team Leader. If your complaint still isn’t resolved after speaking to a Team Leader, you can escalate to an Operations Manager. If your issue is still unresolved, you should follow the procedure below. We aim to resolve your complaint within 72 hours once escalated.

Step 3

You can get independent advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, Consumer Advice Centre and Trading Standards. Whilst we’re happy to work together with the above independent organisations, if you decide you need their help to resolve your complaint, we would always want you to come to us first, as most problems can be resolved quickly this way.

Step 4 - Contact Ombudsman Services

If after contacting us we have not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks, or if there is a deadlock situation, you may refer your complaint to Ombudsman Services, free of charge. Deadlock arises when we believe we have done everything we can to resolve your complaint but cannot reach an agreement with you. You must have followed our escalation process before you can request a deadlock letter, we will be unable to send a deadlock letter if we are still working to resolve your complaint, or if your complaint falls outside the remit of Ombudsman Services. We will issue you with an 8-week notification letter, if, after 8 weeks, your complaint still hasn't been resolved with us and you haven't requested, or you haven't received a deadlock letter.

Ombudsman Services is an independent dispute resolution scheme, approved by Ofcom. Please ensure that you read Ombudsman Services guidelines to ensure that your complaint satisfies the conditions for referral.

When your complaint goes through Ombudsman Services, an independent assessor will review your complaint and make a decision about how to settle it.

Details of the service are available by contacting us, or Ombudsman Services directly:

Ombudsman Services. The Brew House, Wilderspool Park, Greenall's Avenue, Warrington, WA4 6HL. Tel: 0330 440 1614 Fax: 0330 440 1615 Text phone: 0330 440 1600 Email: os-communications Website: Ombudsman-services.org.

The Ombudsman Service is a free, independent provider of support to consumers.

Ofcom

As the communications regulator – Ofcom are there to ensure, among other things, that all Communication Providers have a Complaints Process in place which meets certain criteria. Ofcom don’t investigate individual complaints on behalf of the consumer or adjudicate, but they can provide guidance on the complaints process as stipulated in Steps 1-3 of this Code of Practice.