Legal
Complaints procedure
If our training, assessment or certification falls short, we want to know. Complaints are treated as quality evidence, not as an inconvenience.
What this procedure covers
Course content and delivery, tutor or trainer conduct, assessment decisions, certification and verification, accessibility and reasonable adjustments, invoicing and bookings, and how we handle your personal data. Appeals against a specific assessment decision are handled under stage two and are considered by an assessor who did not make the original decision.
Within 5 working days
Stage one — informal resolution
Most concerns are resolved quickly. Raise the matter with the Institute through our contact form, describing what happened and what outcome you are seeking. The relevant team lead will respond and attempt to resolve it directly.
Acknowledged in 3, resolved in 20 working days
Stage two — formal complaint
If you are not satisfied, ask for the matter to be escalated to a formal complaint. It is logged in the complaints register, investigated by someone not involved in the original decision, and answered in writing with findings and any action taken.
Within 20 working days of request
Stage three — review
You may request a final review of the stage two outcome. The review considers whether the procedure was followed and whether the conclusion was reasonable. Our written decision at this stage closes the internal procedure.
After the internal procedure is exhausted
Stage four — external escalation
Complaints about accredited or regulated provision may be escalated to the relevant awarding organisation or regulator. We will tell you in our final response which body applies to your course and how to contact them.
What to include
- Your name, the email address on your learner account, and your service if applicable.
- The course, cohort date or certificate reference the complaint concerns.
- What happened, when it happened, and who was involved.
- The outcome you are seeking.
Records and confidentiality
Complaints are recorded and retained for six years, reviewed for patterns, and reported in summary to our quality process. Records are handled in line with our privacy policy. Raising a complaint will never affect your access to training or your certification.
Raise a complaint