Complaints Procedure

Please find the 'Complaint/Guarantee Claims' Form at the bottom of the page

ECA Complaints Management Procedure

Complaints Procedures

If you would like to raise a concern about:

• work carried out by an ECA Member,
• the conduct of an ECA Member’s staff,
• unsafe working practices by an ECA Member, or
• an issue that may bring ECA into disrepute,

below we outline what information we need from you to allow us to take your issues forward, and what ECA may be able to do to support a fair review.

We cannot progress your complaint fairly and promptly, unless and until you provide clear details and supporting evidence. If we do not have enough information to understand or substantiate the issues your raise, we may not be able to progress your complaint.

In summary, initially, we will:

• confirm your interests in relation to the issues you raise
• check whether your complaint is about a firm which was an ECA Member at the time the issues occurred
• check which of the above categories of complaint your issues relate to
• confirm with you, whether you have already raised the issue with the business responsible for the work
• review the information and evidence you provide
• give the ECA Member a reasonable opportunity to respond to the issues raised in your complaint and
• depending on the nature of the issues raised, explain the next steps (this may include technical review or inspection for workmanship or safety concerns).

ECA Complaints Management

Members should have a clear process for considering and responding to customer complaints, with the aim of resolving issues wherever possible.

Once we receive your complaint and supporting evidence, we will check whether you have already raised the issue with the ECA Member and whether their complaints process has been completed or attempted. If the Member is not yet aware of the complaint, we will usually ask you to contact them first, so they have an opportunity to respond.

ECA’s complaints process applies after you have exhausted the Member’s own complaints process, or where you have made reasonable attempts to raise the issue directly and the matter remains unresolved. This helps ensure Member firms have had the opportunity to review the issue and, where appropriate, put things right.

ECA aims to provide a clear, practical and timely complaints process. ECA will review the information provided and, where appropriate, seek to support a fair and workable resolution. ECA is not an ombudsman, adjudicator, regulator or court, so there will not be an expert technical assessment/report, opinion or public ruling. We may take disciplinary action under ECA’s Rules without publishing this in the public domain.

Complaints must be submitted using the webform below and must include relevant supporting evidence (this may include contracts, quotations, invoices, certificates, warranties, photographs and correspondence).

Please note: unless you evidence the issues raised in your complaint we cannot progress it.

An ECA Complaints Administrator will review your submission, decide the appropriate next step and acknowledge the complaint to you and the ECA Member, wherever practicable, within five working days. The acknowledgement will explain the proposed course of action.

How complaints will be handled

The action ECA takes will depend on the nature of your complaint. Complaints are normally considered under one or more of the following categories: contractual, safety, conduct or workmanship. We reserve the right to set the timetable for resolution depending on the nature of the complaint, evidence submitted and availability of parties concerned.

Contractual complaints

If your complaint is about a contractual issue, such as price, payment, scope of work, delays or the terms agreed with the business, ECA’s role is limited. We may review the information you provide and ask the ECA Member to respond, but we cannot make legal decisions, determine contractual liability, require compensation to be paid, or act as an ombudsman or adjudicator. Indeed, Members are entitled to free legal advice from ECA so we would have a conflict of interest can cannot intervene on contractual disputes. We therefore recommend you and the Member seek resolution via mediation.

Safety or SHE complaints

If your complaint includes a safety concern, please provide clear details and evidence using the form below. A Complaints Administrator will review your submission and consider whether an inspection may be appropriate. Wherever practicable, we will acknowledge your complaint within five working days and explain the proposed course of action.

Conduct complaints

If your complaint is about the conduct of an ECA Member, or you believe their conduct may have brought ECA into disrepute, please provide clear details and evidence using the form below. A Complaints Administrator will review your submission and, wherever practicable, acknowledge your complaint within five working days. The acknowledgement will explain the proposed course of action.

Workmanship - Guarantee of (Electrical) Works

ECA Members are expected to work to relevant UK technical standards, recognised industry good practice, and appropriate standards of workmanship for the  electrical industry. ECA offers clients of Members a Guarantee, which subject to its terms and conditions, ensures that in the event that you are unable to resolve issues of technical non-compliance with the Member, within the scope of the Guarantee, ECA may step-in and resolve them.

If you were not directly in contract with the ECA Member, you cannot make a claim under the ECA Guarantee of Works.