Complaints Policy

1. Purpose
 

TrustPoint Accounting Services Ltd (“the Firm”) is committed to providing a professional, courteous and high-quality service.

 

If something goes wrong, we want clients to tell us so that we can investigate the matter, address any problems and improve our services.

 

This policy applies to complaints about our professional services, conduct, communications, fees, administration or client care. It explains how a complaint can be made, how we will handle it and what options are available if the complainant remains dissatisfied.

 

This policy supports our obligations under the Association of Accounting Technicians’ regulatory and professional standards, including its Client Care policy, Licensing Regulations and Code of Professional Ethics.

 

Where a complaint concerns how we have handled personal data, we will also deal with it in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.

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2. How to Complain
 

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can investigate and seek to resolve the matter promptly.

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You can complain:

 

• By email: info@trustpointaccounting.co.uk

• By telephone: 02380 016019

• By post: TrustPoint Accounting Services Ltd, 134 Oak Road, Bishops Waltham, Southampton, SO32 1EQ

 

If you complain by telephone, we may ask you to confirm the details in writing so that we have a clear and accurate record. We will still treat the complaint as received on the date you first contacted us.

 

Please provide, where possible:

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• your full name and contact details;

• details of the complaint, including relevant dates, people involved and supporting documents;

• the effect the matter has had on you; and

• how you would like us to resolve it.

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Please tell us if you need help making your complaint or require any reasonable adjustment. We will take reasonable steps to make the process accessible.

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3. Our Complaints Procedure
 

Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge your complaint within five business days of receipt and confirm who will investigate it.

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Investigation: A director who was not directly involved in the matter will investigate the complaint. Normally, Stanislav Olestsenko will investigate a complaint concerning Kevin Waterfield, and Kevin Waterfield will investigate a complaint concerning Stanislav Olestsenko.

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If both directors were involved, or neither can investigate the complaint independently, we may appoint a suitably qualified external adviser or our continuity-of-practice alternate to review it.

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We may ask you or other relevant persons for further information or documents. We will consider the available evidence fairly and keep an appropriate record of the investigation.

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Response: We aim to provide a full written response within 28 calendar days of receiving the complaint. If we need more time, we will explain why and provide an updated expected response date.

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Outcome: Our response will explain our findings, whether the complaint is upheld in full or in part, and any corrective or remedial action we propose to take.

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We will handle complaints sensitively and confidentially, sharing information only where necessary to investigate and respond to the matter or where disclosure is required by law.

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All complaints and their outcomes will be recorded in our confidential Client Complaints Log.

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4. Escalation to AAT
 

If you are dissatisfied with our final response, you may refer concerns about the conduct of an AAT member to our professional body, the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

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AAT will normally expect you to have given us an opportunity to resolve the matter through our internal complaints procedure. You should provide AAT with copies of relevant correspondence, including our final response.

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Complaints to AAT should normally be made within one year of the matter occurring. AAT may consider a complaint made outside this period where exceptional circumstances can be explained.

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Complaints must be submitted using AAT’s online complaint form and supported by relevant evidence. You should provide a complete account of all issues and supporting evidence when submitting the complaint, as AAT will not normally consider incomplete or staged submissions.

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Further information and the online form are available at:

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https://www.aat.org.uk/membership/standards-requirements/complaints

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If you are unable to use the online form because of accessibility needs or require reasonable adjustments, you may contact the AAT Professional Standards Team:

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Telephone: +44 (0)20 7397 3008
Email: aatstandards@aat.org.uk

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AAT’s complaints process considers potential breaches of its professional standards. It does not determine fee disputes, breach-of-contract claims or other civil disputes and cannot award compensation for financial loss. You may wish to obtain independent legal advice where you are seeking financial redress.

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5. Monitoring and Review
 

All complaints, investigation records, outcomes and corrective actions will be recorded in our confidential Client Complaints Log.

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The directors will review the log at least annually, and sooner where a significant complaint or recurring issue is identified, to:

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• identify patterns or recurring concerns;

• confirm that agreed corrective actions have been completed;

• consider whether procedures, training or client communications should be improved; and

• reduce the risk of similar issues arising again.

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Complaint records will be retained securely in accordance with our data retention and privacy requirements.

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a material change in law, regulation, AAT guidance or the way we provide our services.

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