Complaints, compliments and feedback

If you have a complaint, compliment or feedback, we want to hear it. Your feedback is very useful to us. We use it to understand what we’ve done well and where we an improve. You can tell us if:

• Something’s gone well
• You’re unhappy and want to complain about something
• You have a comment about our services

Our complaints, compliments and feedback procedure sets out how to share your views with us, and how we deal with your feedback.

Have a general enquiry or need to report something?

You can use the general enquiry form to contact:

• The community team who deal with fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour
• Our waste and recycling team
• Housing
• Our environmental health team who conduct environmental health checks on premises and take enforcement action as required. The team also handles taxi licencing and premises licencing.
• Economic development who help and support businesses, manage facilities and car parks and street parking enforcement services
• Plus many more!

How to get in touch with us

You can submit complaints, compliments and feedback in any of the following ways:

• Online: by using our simple online complaints, compliments and feedback form
• In writing: by writing to Ryedale District Council, Ryedale House, Old Malton Road, Malton, YO17 7HH. Someone can also write on your behalf.
• In person: visit us at Ryedale House and speak to a member of staff
• By telephone: phone 01653 600666 to contact Customer Services
• By email: complaints@ryedale.gov.uk for complaints or feedback@ryedale.gov.uk for compliments and other comments

What to include when you contact us

• Your full name and address, postcode, telephone number and email address
• As much as you can about the incident, service or employee involved
• What has gone right or what has gone wrong
• How you want us to resolve the matter

Can I complain anonymously or confidentially?

We will deal with a complaint confidentially and your identity will only be made known to the person(s) investigating the complaint.

In some circumstances, it may not be possible to preserve confidentiality, for example where relevant legislation applies. Or if allegations are made involving the conduct of third parties.

If we can’t deal with your complaint confidentially, we will explain why. You may then choose whether or not to continue with your complaint.

Whatever you decide to do, we’ll record the complaint so that we can improve, but all personal details will be excluded.

We don’t usually deal with anonymous complaints. If you wish to make us aware of something that you are dissatisfied with, but prefer to remain anonymous, the information you provide will be considered as feedback. More information about how we handle feedback can be found in our complaints, compliments and feedback procedure.

Complaints about services the Council doesn’t carry out

If you make a complaint about a service that we don’t manage or carry out, then we’ll give you the contact information for the organisation, and if possible for a specific person. Or, if we have the details for an outside organisation who can help, we’ll pass these on too. 

Our role is over at this point. So, we can’t act as an intermediary or follow these complaints up.

However, sometimes we may take up matters on behalf of the community where there has been a clear failure on the part of an organisation.

Insurance

If you believe that you have suffered personal injury or property damage as a direct result of a negligent act on behalf of Ryedale District Council and you wish to pursue a claim for compensation then please read below.

It is necessary for you to demonstrate that the council has been negligent and that you have suffered an injury or loss.  All claims are individually assessed and investigated, in conjunction with the council’s Insurer, to enable a decision on liability to be reached. For your compensation claim for personal injury or damage to your property to be successful, you’ll need to prove that the council has been at fault in law. Although something may have happened, there’s no automatic entitlement to compensation.

We must protect the public funds we handle, so we may use the claim information you provide to detect and prevent fraud. We may also share this information with other organisations that handle and protect public funds.

Handling your claim

When you tell us that you want to make a claim, you’ll be asked to write in to the insurance team, giving the following information:

• full name, address, telephone number
• occupation, age, National Insurance number (personal injury claims only)
• exact date, day, time and location of the accident/incident
• written details of how the accident/incident occurred, with a brief description of the nature of the defect and a sketch of the precise location of the accident/incident
• details of injuries or damage to property
• why you believe the council is responsible
• photographs to support your claim
• confirmation that the information given in your letter is correct

All this information should be emailed to the Insurance Team.

This government form may assist/aid you in the type of questions our insurers will want to know.

We’ll acknowledge receipt of your letter within 21 days. We’ll then investigate your claim and pass the information to the claims handler/insurer who will decide whether or not the council is liable. The law allows up to three months for this. Any delay in giving us the required information may affect the timescales to confirm the council’s position on liability. Our insurers may also ask for more information.

Claims for loss or damage to property

If the claim is for damage to your property, you’ll be asked for the original receipts, and/or estimates for replacement, including the age of the items. This is because any payment will take into account wear and tear. It may affect the level of compensation you’re awarded if you’re unable to back up your claim.

You’re under a legal duty to mitigate your losses; failure to do so will affect the level of compensation you’re awarded.

Liability insurance details

To comply with liability insurance claims, we can confirm that Ryedale District Council’s employers and public liability policy details are as follows:

Insurer: Protector Forsikring ASA
Inception Date: 08 October 2021
Policy Number: 964931-2.1