Forest Research is committed to providing high-quality customer service and welcomes hearing from our customers to allow us to learn and improve the way we operate or the services we provide.
We recognise that it may sometimes be necessary to complain if things have gone wrong or you’re dissatisfied with our service. Equally, we welcome positive recognition when you have been particularly happy with the service you received, to know where we are meeting our customers’ needs.
In the first instance we would always encourage you to provide feedback by contacting the relevant team or manager directly.
Alternatively, you can follow the process set out below to submit a complaint.
Our Service Standard – we aim to:
- treat all feedback seriously and investigate any complaints independently, thoroughly and fairly.
- try to put things right as quickly as possible if we are at fault – if not, we’ll give you a full explanation.
- learn from feedback and take action to improve our services.
- acknowledge all written feedback within five days.
- let you know who is handling a complaint and how to contact them.
- respond, in full, within 20 working days of receiving feedback.
- respond to feedback by letter or email.
The process
Stage 1
Submit your complaint
You are welcome to submit a written complaint either by using the online complaints form or by downloading a copy of the form and returning it to the Quality Manager at the address below.
Download our complaint form [docx, 56.8 KB].
In the first instance, all complaints will be received by the Quality Manager; submissions via post or telephone will be entered into our system. Once reviewed, the submission will then be passed on to the relevant team manager to provide a response.
Quality Manager
Forest Research
Northern Research Station
Roslin
EH25 9SY
Telephone: 0300 067 5606
Email: quality@forestresearch.gov.uk
Response to your feedback
We will send receipt of your complaint and aim to provide a response within 20 working days. If you have provided details of a specific person or area your complaint relates to, we will pass this directly to them to investigate further according to their procedures.
If it is not possible to give you a full reply within 20 days, for example if your complaint requires more detailed investigation, we will contact you to advise what is being done and when you can expect a full response.
Our investigation will look at the details of the complaint, the cause of any issues identified and identify appropriate actions we can take in relation to the issue.
Stage 2
If our initial response does not fully address your concerns, you have the option to move to the next stage of our complaints’ procedure.
All complaints at this stage should be sent to the Chief Executive’s office at Forest Research:
CEO’s office
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey
GU10 4LH
Telephone: 0300 067 5600
When contacting the CEO you must submit your complaint within 3 months of having received a final response from the relevant team or person.
The Chief Executive of Forest Research may delegate a relevant member of the Senior Management Team to handle your complaint.
Stage 3
We aim to resolve all complaints within the organization. However, should you remain dissatisfied after using our complaints’ system you may refer the matter to the Forestry Commission.
All stage 3 complaints should be sent to the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission: commissioners@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Forestry Commission
620 Bristol Business Park
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1EJ
Email: commissioners@forestrycommission.gov.uk
When contacting the Chief Executive, you must:
- send your complaint within 3 months of having received a final response from Stage 2 of the FR complaints procedure.
- make your complaint in writing unless there’s good reason for not doing so – it’s important we have a record of exactly what you want to complain about so we can address your concerns accurately.
The Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission may delegate the response to the Director of Forest Services, the Chief Executive of Forestry England, or another member of the Forestry Commission Executive Board.
Stage 4
Once we have addressed your feedback and have not received any further comment, your complaint will be closed after 30 days.
