Complaints Handling Procedure (CHP)
1. Our Commitment to Service
APC Collective (a trading name of GalaProp Ltd) strives to provide the highest standard of professional mentorship, Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) support, and consultancy services. However, we recognise that occasionally things can go wrong. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we want to hear from you so that we can resolve the issue swiftly and fairly.
As a business operating in accordance with the professional standards of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), we operate a formal, two-stage Complaints Handling Procedure.
2. How to Make a Complaint
To ensure we fully understand the nature of your grievance and can investigate it thoroughly, we ask that all formal complaints be submitted in writing. Please provide as much detail as possible, including dates, names of any associates involved, and any supporting documentation.
Please direct your written complaint to:
The Directors
APC Collective / GalaProp Ltd
Email: info@apccollective.co.uk
3. Stage One: Internal Investigation
Once we have received your written complaint, we will handle it in the following manner:
Acknowledgement: We will write to you to acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 7 working days.
Investigation: Your complaint will be investigated objectively by a Director who was not directly involved in the matter (where possible). This will involve a full review of your file and discussions with any relevant team members or independent consultants.
Formal Response: Within 28 working days of receiving your formal written complaint, we will write to you informing you of the outcome of our internal investigation and detailing the actions we propose to take to resolve the matter.
4. Stage Two: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of our Stage One internal investigation, or if we are unable to resolve the dispute to your satisfaction, you have the right to escalate the matter to an independent redress scheme.
While APC Collective is not an RICS-regulated firm, we are committed to professional best practice and operate in accordance with the ethical standards of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. To ensure fairness and transparency, we have appointed an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider.
For Business-to-Business (B2B) Clients (e.g., Local Authorities, Corporate Clients):
CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution)
100 St. Paul’s Churchyard, London, EC4M 8BU
Tel: 020 7536 6000
Email: info@cedr.com
Website: www.cedr.com
For Consumer Clients (e.g., Individual APC Candidates paying privately):
While we are not mandated to subscribe to a consumer Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme, we are committed to resolving disputes fairly. If we are unable to resolve your complaint at Stage One, we will issue a final deadlock letter. In this letter, we will provide you with the details of a certified UK consumer ADR provider and confirm whether we are prepared to engage in ad-hoc mediation to resolve the dispute, alternatively, you remain fully entitled to seek independent legal advice.
5. Record Keeping and Continuous Improvement
All complaints are recorded in our central Complaints Log, along with the outcomes and any corrective actions taken. This log is reviewed regularly by the Directors to identify any recurring issues and to continuously improve our service delivery, training programs, and client communication.
6. Confidentiality
All complaints are treated with the utmost confidentiality and will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and all applicable UK data protection regulations.