Complaints Handling Standard: What It Is & Why It Matters
A complaints handling standard sets out how a business should receive, record, investigate, and resolve complaints fairly and promptly.
In this explainer
- Explain what a complaints handling standard is
- Describe the general elements of good complaint handling
- Show why complaint handling matters in recovery
- List questions to ask a provider about complaints
- Describe how Merion handles complaints
6 min
What it is
A complaints handling standard describes how an organisation should deal with complaints: making it easy to complain, acknowledging and recording complaints, investigating them fairly, responding within reasonable timeframes, and using what is learned to improve. Some sectors have specific regulatory requirements for complaint handling, and recognised frameworks such as the international complaints-handling standard provide a common reference.
This page is general. Where a sector-specific complaints obligation applies, verify its current detail with the relevant regulator.
Key requirements
Good complaint handling generally means: clear, accessible channels to raise a complaint; prompt acknowledgement; fair and impartial investigation; reasonable response times; clear communication of outcomes; and signposting to external dispute resolution where a person is not satisfied. It also means recording complaints and analysing them to fix root causes.
The aim is twofold — to put things right for the individual and to learn at the organisational level.
Why it matters for debt recovery
Collection naturally attracts complaints, including disputes about whether money is owed. A partner that handles complaints poorly compounds harm and can escalate matters to regulators or external dispute resolution. A partner with disciplined complaint handling resolves issues early, protects the customer, and gives the creditor visibility of any problems.
How a provider deals with complaints is one of the clearest windows into its culture.
What to ask a provider
Ask: how can a customer make a complaint, and how quickly do you acknowledge it? How do you investigate impartially, and within what timeframes? How do you tell people about external dispute resolution if they remain unhappy? How do you analyse complaints to prevent recurrence, and can you report this to us?
How Merion approaches it
Merion makes it straightforward to raise a concern, records complaints, investigates them fairly, and responds within reasonable timeframes. Where a person remains unsatisfied and external dispute resolution is relevant, we point them to it. You can read about our approach and reach us through the Trust Centre. For any sector-specific complaints obligations, verify the current rules directly.
This page is general information only and is not legal advice.
Key takeaways
- A complaints handling standard governs how complaints are received, recorded, and resolved fairly
- Good handling means accessible channels, prompt response, and fair investigation
- Strong complaint handling resolves issues early and gives creditors visibility
- Confirm any sector-specific complaints obligations with the relevant regulator
Frequently asked questions
What makes complaint handling good?
Accessible ways to complain, prompt acknowledgement, fair investigation, reasonable timeframes, clear outcomes, and signposting to external dispute resolution where appropriate — plus learning from complaints to prevent recurrence.
Why does complaint handling matter so much in collection?
Because collection naturally attracts complaints and disputes. Handling them well resolves issues early, protects customers, and gives creditors visibility of problems.
How does Merion handle complaints?
Merion makes complaining straightforward, records and investigates complaints fairly, responds within reasonable timeframes, and signposts external dispute resolution where relevant.
Security and compliance you can verify
Merion handles every account on the facts, within the rules, and with data protected by design. Ask us anything.