Account NI customer feedback process

How we deal with your customer feedback

We aim to provide a high quality, efficient and professional service, but occasionally things can go wrong and we are keen to learn from our mistakes. The following are the steps that will be taken to both communicate with you and resolve any issues that you have raised.

In the first instance

If you are not happy with either:

• our service to you
• decisions we have made that affect the way in which we do business with you

Please get in touch with the service desk as soon as possible, either by telephoning 0845 671 3133 or by emailing servicedesk@accountni.gov.uk. They are best placed to sort out most problems. If this does not resolve the problem, we will follow our complaints and disputes procedure.

Complaints and disputes procedure

We will ask you to submit your problem in writing or by email if you have not already done so, we do not normally deal with complaints and disputes verbally, as it is best to keep a written record.

Stage one

The Customer Service Executive will undertake an investigation and will send you a full response within 10 working days of receiving your complaint or dispute. If our investigation is taking longer than this, then we will let you know when you can expect a full reply.

Stage two

If you remain dissatisfied following the Customer Service Executive's response, you should write and ask for the matter to be referred to the head of service management at the address given below or by email to servicedesk@accountni.gov.uk.

The head of service management will arrange to have the matter investigated and will aim to send you a full response within 15 working days of receiving your complaint.

If the investigation is taking longer than this, then we will keep you informed of progress and let you know when you can expect a full reply.

Stage three

If you remain dissatisfied following the head of service management’s response, you should write and ask for the matter to be referred to the director of Account NI at the address given below or by email.

The director will arrange to have the matter investigated and will aim to send you a full response within 10 working days of receiving your complaint.

If the investigation is taking longer than this, then we will keep you informed of progress and let you know when you can expect a full reply.

Stage four

If you feel the complaint still has not been resolved the final internal escalation point is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Enterprise Shared Services. The CEO can be contacted at the address given below
or by email.

The CEO will arrange to have the matter investigated and will aim to send you a full response within 10 working days of receiving your complaint.

If the investigation is taking longer than this, then we will keep you informed of progress and let you know when you can expect a full reply.

Stage five

The final escalation point for all complaints is the Northern Ireland Ombudsman.

The Northern Ireland Ombudsman deals with complaints from people who believe they have suffered injustice as a result of poor administration - or the wrong applications of rules by government departments and public bodies.

The ombudsman is the last resort, normally only investigating cases when the complainant has already exhausted the formal complaints procedure of the organisation concerned.

All complaints made to the ombudsman are treated in the strictest confidence.

Email: servicedesk@accountni.gov.uk