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Making a complaint about a BHTA member

Follow our simple five-step guide to raising a complaint about a BHTA member

We know how distressing it can be when a dispute arises between you and a company. In the rare event that a dispute does occur with a Code-accredited member of the BHTA, we are able to assist you in reaching an amicable outcome.

Our 400+ members commit to our Code of Practice, requiring these companies to uphold values and practices above and beyond their legal obligations.

There are five steps that you must follow to raise a complaint against a BHTA member:

Step 1: Give the company a chance to put things right

Before we can start any investigation, you must give the business an opportunity to resolve your complaint first.

Raise your complaint directly with the company to explain why you are dissatisfied with the product or service they provided and to give the company an opportunity to put things right.

In these instances, we would encourage you to:

• Contact the company you purchased the product or service from as soon as possible, and ask about their complaints procedure
• Keep a note of when you rang and who you spoke to
• If writing, keep a copy of your letter(s) and their replies
• Attempt to resolve the issue through the company’s complaints procedure

If, after 12 weeks at most, your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you should proceed to step 2.

Step 2: Make sure the business is a BHTA member

Verify that the business you have a dispute with is signed up to our Code of Practice – Use our member directory to verify if a company is a member.

If the company is not a member of the BHTA, we will be unable to assist.

In the event the company is not a BHTA member, Citizens Advice may be able to assist – Visit its website for more information

Step 3: Check that your complaint falls within our remit

In the event you are unhappy with the response from the business, or you have not received one, you should check to ensure that your complaint is within our remit to investigate.

Specifically, ensure your complaint:

• Has gone through the company’s complaints process and reached stalemate
• Is against a company that is a Code member of the BHTA
• Is not currently, nor has been, dealt with by a court, an alternative dispute resolution provider, or similar body
• Does not relate to a point in time prior to the company becoming a Code member of the BHTA

If your complaint meets the above criteria, proceed to step 4.

Step 4: Get in contact with our Complaints team

If your complaint is eligible and unresolved, contact the BHTA by email or post to take the matter further.

In order to investigate your complaint, you must write, rather than ring*. Gather copies of all emails, paperwork, letters, records of telephone calls etc. as part of your case.

*You can always call our expert team if you require advice or guidance, however, we cannot initiate a formal investigation until we receive your complaint in writing.

Email

Email complaints@bhta.com to raise a complaint about a BHTA member

Post

Send a letter to BHTA Office, 404 Tower Bridge Business Centre, 46-48 East Smithfield, London, E1W 1AW

Step 5: Reach an agreement or pursue other options

After you have formally submitted your written complaint to us, we will launch our investigation – Learn more about our process for handling complaints.

In particular, we will:

• Send you a copy of our Code of Practice
• Request to see all of your documentation
• Ask the company to report within seven working days, giving as much evidence as possible
• Look for evidence of any breaches of our Code of Practice


Importantly, you will not be charged at any stage of the process – this is free for all consumers.

Once we have obtained all the facts, we will attempt to settle the dispute by advising an agreement between you and the company within 90 days.

If you are not satisfied with our proposed agreement, you have two options available to take the complaint further:

• We can refer the case to an Independent Arbitrator
• You can take up your own independent court action

Where referral to the Independent Arbitrator is chosen, we will pass all the evidence gathered, including copies of all correspondence between the parties and BHTA, to the Independent Arbitrator within five working days.

At this point, both you and the company may make direct representation of further evidence to the Arbitrator.

Important to note: You do not have to accept the decision of the Independent Arbitrator, and still have the route of court proceedings available. However, if the Independent Arbitrator finds against the company, the decision is binding on them.

Useful advice and guidance on buying

Disputes that arise when buying healthcare and assistive technology equipment and services can be difficult, time-consuming and stressful. To help avoid disputes occurring, we have a wide range of helpful consumer advice and guidance to help you.

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It is our mission to improve the standards of the industry and give you confidence and invaluable peace of mind, when you need it most.