Oesa Limited and Kate Wormald (“the Mediator”) endeavour to provide the highest standards of service at all times.
We recognise that occasionally a client may feel that the service levels offered do not meet these standards. But please be assured that we are committed to resolve any complaint speedily and effectively.
We operate the following complaints procedure:
- Complaints maybe made by mediation clients, their legal representatives, or other authorised representatives attending the mediation.
- However, this policy does not apply if the matter relates to a Freedom of Information or Data Protection issue. In this circumstance, you should contact the FOI/DPA officer who is Kate Wormald. Or, if you have not engaged the services of the mediator.
- If you have a complaint, that arises after you have engaged the services of the mediator or prior to the mediation itself, you can raise your concerns directly with the mediator by calling her to discuss the matter directly. Or in writing at the email address, you have for the mediator.
- It your complaint arises during the mediation, and you would like to raise it at that time, please ask for a private session to discuss your concerns directly with the mediator. We would ask that you do not raise it in open sessions with all participants present.
- If the complaint arises after the mediation is complete, you can raise your concerns directly with the mediator by calling her to discuss the matter directly. Or you can set out the complaint out in writing and send it to the email address you have for the mediator.
- You should raise your concerns with the mediator within 2 weeks after the completion of the mediation. This is because it is better to address any issues whilst the matters are still fresh in everyone’s mind and give clause 11 below.
- In our discretion we may consider a complaint that is raised later than 2 weeks if you can provide strong reasons for the delay. In no circumstances will we consider a complaint that is raised after 3 months of it arising.
- The mediator will contact you to acknowledge receipt of your complaint within five working days and will set out the process that will be adopted to investigate your complaint and a timetable for response.
- The complaint will be investigated in the first instance by the mediator, with due diligence and in a professional manner.
- It is our intention to give you a written response within 21 working days of the receipt of the complaint. If additional time is required, we will notify you of this in writing.
- This complaints procedure will be in accordance with the confidentiality provisions contained in the Mediation Agreement signed by and binding upon all parties including the mediator.
- If the complaint is received after the completion of a mediation, we remind you that the mediator will no longer have any notes or papers to refer to as they would have been shredded after the mediation in accordance with the Mediation Agreement.
- If you do not agree to the determination of the mediator, you may contact the Civil Mediation Council (CMC) on certain grounds as set out in their complaints process. The CMC operates a final stage complaints procedure, whereby it can consider complaints from those people who have exhausted a mediator’s own complaints procedures. Details of the CMC’s appeal process can be found here: Complaints — Civil Mediation
- The mediator will keep a written record of the complaint and any decisions at least 6 years, after which the records may be permanently destroyed. The copies maybe kept in hard or soft copies.
