Your views are important to us
We aim to provide a high-quality service to everyone who accesses our services.
If you have contacted us about an issue and you are not happy with how it was handled, you can make a formal complaint.
Who can complain
Anyone who uses or is affected by our services can make a complaint.
If you complain on behalf of someone else, we may need to confirm whether you have permission to act on their behalf.
How to complain
You can complain online, by telephone or in person.
Online
By telephone
Contact a service directly. Find contact details for all council services.
Contact Customer Services on 020 8854 8888.
In person
Come to one of our service centres in Woolwich or Eltham.
The Woolwich Centre
35 Wellington Street,
London SE18 6HQ
The Eltham Centre
2 Archery Road,
London SE9 1HA
We record information and use the feedback to help improve our services. Read our corporate complaints privacy notice for details about how we use your information.
Additional complaints processes
For some services, there is a different complaints process or things to consider before you make a formal complaint.
Read the service's complaints information before you complain online about:
There is a different online complaints form if you want to complain about a:
Complaints about schools
Schools have their own complaints procedures. Contact the headteacher in the first instance. If you are still unhappy you can complain to the school's governing body. The school will explain the procedure to you.
Appeal a decision
You may be able to appeal if you're not happy with a decision we've made.
You can appeal:
- a parking fine
- a planning decision
- a Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support decision
- an unsuccessful school application
What happens next
We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.
We will investigate your complaint and respond to you within 10 working days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, we will review your complaint at a more senior level. We will then respond to you within 20 working days.
Taking your complaint further
If you are still not satisfied, you can contact an ombudsman.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
They investigate complaints about councils, adult social care providers and some other public service organisations.
Visit the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry CV4 0EH
Telephone: 0300 061 0614
Housing Ombudsman
They investigate complaints made about councils in their role as landlords.
Visit the Housing Ombudsman website.
Housing Ombudsman Service
PO Box 152
Liverpool L33 7WQ
Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
Unreasonable customer behaviour
We are committed to treating all customers fairly. We aim to provide high quality services and clear and timely responses to correspondence.
If customers behave unreasonably during or after the complaints process, it can result in excessive demands on our time and resources.
We do not tolerate abusive, offensive or threatening behaviour towards councillors or staff. We will take action to protect them from harassment and harm. This may include limiting the complainants contact with us.
Read our managing unreasonable or unacceptable complainants behaviour policy.