Complaints Policy
Consumer Duty Compliance | Our Commitment to Resolving Your Concerns
1. Purpose and Scope
Sofa Village Ltd is committed to providing an excellent experience for all our customers. We understand, however, that things can sometimes go wrong, and we take all complaints seriously. This policy sets out our approach to handling complaints in a fair, transparent, and timely manner, in line with our obligations under:
• The Consumer Rights Act 2015
• The FCA Consumer Duty (where applicable)
• The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes Regulations 2015
• The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013
This policy applies to all customer complaints received by Sofa Village Ltd across all sales channels, including in-store, online, and telephone sales.
2. What is a Complaint?
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction — whether oral or written — from a customer about our products, services, delivery, staff conduct, or any other aspect of their experience with Sofa Village Ltd. We treat all expressions of dissatisfaction as complaints and apply this policy accordingly.
3. Our Commitment to You
We commit to:
• Acknowledging all complaints promptly
• Investigating complaints thoroughly, impartially, and without undue delay
• Communicating clearly at every stage of the process
• Resolving complaints as quickly as possible and no later than 8 weeks from receipt
• Treating all complainants with dignity, respect, and empathy
• Learning from complaints to improve our products and services
• Applying additional care where a complainant is or may be a vulnerable customer
4. How to Make a Complaint
You may submit a complaint to us in any of the following ways:
4.1 In Person
You may visit us at: Sofa Village Ltd, 6 The Point, Sea View Street, Cleethorpes, United Kingdom, DN35 8EU
4.2 By Telephone
Call us on: 01484 971371
Our telephone lines are open during standard business hours. If you call outside of these hours, please leave a message and we will return your call on the next working day.
4.3 In Writing
Write to us at: Sofa Village Ltd, 6 The Point, Sea View Street, Cleethorpes, United Kingdom, DN35 8EU
4.4 By Email
Email us at: complaints@sofavillage.co.uk
To help us investigate your complaint quickly and effectively, please provide:
• Your full name and contact details
• Your order number or reference
• A clear description of your complaint
• Any relevant dates
• Any supporting documentation (e.g. photographs, correspondence)
• What outcome you are seeking
5. Our Internal Complaints Handling Procedure
Stage 1: Acknowledgement
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3 working days of receiving it. Our acknowledgement will:
• Confirm we have received your complaint
• Provide the name of the person handling your complaint
• Give you an indication of the next steps and timescale
Stage 2: Investigation
Your complaint will be assigned to a trained member of staff who was not directly involved in the matter being complained about. During the investigation, we may:
• Review your order, delivery records, and any previous correspondence
• Speak with relevant members of staff
• Inspect the goods in question (we may arrange a home visit or ask you to send photographs)
• Obtain advice from our suppliers or manufacturers where relevant
We aim to complete our investigation within 15 working days of acknowledgement. Where a complaint is more complex and requires additional time, we will write to you to explain the delay and provide an updated expected resolution date.
Stage 3: Resolution
Once our investigation is complete, we will write to you with our findings and proposed resolution. Our response will:
• Summarise the nature of your complaint
• Set out our findings following investigation
• Explain our proposed resolution and any offer being made
• Provide information about your right to escalate if you remain dissatisfied
Where we uphold your complaint, we will offer an appropriate remedy which may include, but is not limited to:
• Repair or replacement of faulty goods
• A full or partial refund
• A discount on future purchases
• A written apology
• A combination of the above
Stage 4: Final Response
We aim to provide a final written response to all complaints within 8 weeks of receipt. This is our maximum timeframe. In most cases, complaints will be resolved well within this period. Our final response will clearly state whether the complaint has been upheld, partially upheld, or not upheld, together with our reasons.
6. Escalation — If You Remain Dissatisfied
6.1 Internal Escalation
If you are not satisfied with the response provided at any stage of our process, you may request that your complaint be reviewed by a senior manager. Please contact us to request this escalation.
6.2 Citizens Advice
You may also seek free, independent advice from Citizens Advice at any time: www.citizensadvice.org.uk or by calling 0808 223 1133.
7. Complaints Involving Vulnerable Customers
Where a complainant is identified as potentially vulnerable, or discloses their vulnerability to us, we will:
• Apply additional care and sensitivity throughout the complaints process
• Aim to resolve the complaint more quickly where possible
• Offer assistance in submitting and managing the complaint (e.g. speaking with a carer or advocate if authorised)
• Consider flexible remedies that take into account the customer's circumstances
Please refer to our Vulnerable Customer Policy for further information on how we identify and support vulnerable customers.
8. Record Keeping
We maintain records of all complaints received, including:
• The nature of the complaint
• The date received and acknowledged
• The outcome and date of resolution
• Any remedies offered
These records are retained for a minimum of 3 years and are used to identify trends, improve our products and services, and fulfil any regulatory reporting obligations. All records are held in accordance with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR.
9. Continuous Improvement
We view complaints as an important source of customer feedback. We regularly review complaint trends and outcomes to:
• Identify and address recurring issues
• Improve our products, delivery, and customer service
• Update staff training
• Ensure our policies remain fit for purpose
Senior management reviews complaint data at least quarterly as part of our commitment to the FCA Consumer Duty outcomes framework.
10. Contact Us
If you have a complaint or would like further information about our complaints procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us:
• Telephone: 01484 971371
• Email: info@lovesofas.co.uk
