Customer Care Charter

At Southwark Council, we know that people count. As our customer, you have a right to be treated fairly and respectfully. In return, we ask that you treat our staff in the same way. We seek to achieve excellence in customer care by ensuring

From our staff

• Professionalism – that our staff are polite, professional, sensitive and helpful each time you deal with them
• Anti-discrimination – that our staff do not discriminate nor permit discrimination against anyone
• Identification – that our staff identify themselves by wearing name badges

In our contact with you

• Plain language – that our communication to you, whichever way we provide it, will be clear, concise and easy to understand
• Accessibility – that information will be made available in various formats and languages

In your contact with us

• Quick service – we aim to answer your call within 30 seconds
• We aim to answer your letters and emails within ten working days. If this isn’t possible, we will tell you why 
• Personal contact – if your case is being assessed, we will designate a named officer to help you

When visiting the council offices

• Quick service – we aim to see you within five minutes at any of our public receptions, or let you know if the wait is likely to be longer
• Confidentiality – we can conduct interviews in private and in confidence, respecting your dignity
• Choice – to make you more comfortable, you can choose to see a member of staff of the same sex
• Availability – our offices are open from 9am to 5pm as a minimum, unless our customers have asked that we open at different times. Whatever our hours, we will display them on site and in all service information.

In response to complaints

• Precision – we will investigate and resolve stage one complaints thoroughly and promptly within ten working days, or let you know if there’s a reason for delay. If you are unhappy with the response, we will carry out a further investigation and respond within fifteen working days.

We promise to keep you informed of how well we meet our service targets. Information on our performance will be displayed in key council reception areas, on a regular basis. If you feel we are not meeting these standards, you are entitled to raise a complaint.