Why we have waiting times

In the last few years we have seen huge increases in the number of complaints we have received. We are working our hardest to look at cases as quickly as we can, but unfortunately this means we now have some significant waiting times.

We don't want to discourage anyone from making a complaint. But we also want to explain our waiting times to avoid any disappointment later. If you have all the information, you can make an informed choice about whether complaining is right for you.

If you choose to submit a complaint to us, rest assured we are striving to give everyone the best service we can.

How long it can take

There are three stages to our process and each has its own waiting time, starting again at each stage. 

First look at your complaint (Intake stage)

• On most complaints, at this stage we are currently taking up to 3 weeks before we contact you.

Deciding whether to investigate (Assessment stage)

• On most complaints, at this stage we are currently taking up to 6 months before we contact you.

Investigating your complaint (Investigation stage)

• On most complaints, at this stage we are currently taking up to 4 months before we make a decision.

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Last updated: June 2026