Formal Complaints Procedure

Our formal complaint procedure should be used to complain about the council and the service they have provided in dealing with you as a customer.

You should not use this form if:

If you want to make a comment on a Planning Application, please visit our Planning Applications search section.
If you want to make a complaint about a councillor, please visit our Councillor complaints page.
If you want to make a noise complaint, please use our online noise complaint form.
If you want to make a complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice that has been issued, please visit our Penalty Charge Notice - How to Appeal section.
If you want to make a complaint about non-compliance with the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations, please visit our FOI Page.
If you want to report a Missed Bin Collection, please visit our Missed Bin Reporting Form.
If you want to report a recurring issue with bin collections, repeated litter or dog fouling, bin collection crew behaviour or a bin collection vehicle incident, please visit our general refuse and recycling service reporting form.

If your complaint does not relate to the options above, and if it is related to a service provided by Ashford Borough Council, then click the 'Make a formal complaint' button below to proceed.

You should use this form if:

If we have told you that something would be done, but it hasn’t been done or is taking too long.
If a member of our staff or someone working on our behalf has treated you unfairly.
If we have been told that you cannot have help or use a council service.

What to expect from the council's formal complaints procedure

Step 1 complaints

Step 1 complaints procedure process
Within three working days	Your complaint will be passed to a member of staff to deal with and you will receive an acknowledgement.
Within 15 working days	We will have completed our investigation and will send you a written response. If we need more time to investigate we will keep you informed of our progress.

Step 2 complaints

If you are not satisfied with our response we will pass your complaint to the relevant Head of Service to review the investigation.

Step 2 complaints procedure process
Within three working days	You will receive an acknowledgement from the Head of Service that they are dealing with your complaint.
Within 20 working days	The Head of Service will send you a written response. If more time is needed to investigate you will be kept informed of our progress.