It is our aim to be polite and professional in all contact with our customers.
Although many of our complaints and enquiries involve complex issues, we will always try to provide clear advice.
If you have any difficulties using our services for any reason please let us know and we will do our best to assist you. If this is because you have a disability you may also like to refer to our Disability Equality Scheme.
Complaints about our service
The ICO is committed to delivering exceptional customer service. We publish our performance in four key areas of customer service each month. These are the time it takes us to deal with:
- the written complaints and enquiries we receive;
- calls to our helpline;
- requests regarding notification under the Data Protection Act; and
- requests for information.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service we have provided, including if you disagree with the outcome of a case we have dealt with, please see our case review and service complaints policy.
Our service standards – September 2008
Written complaints and enquiries – how we deal with them
All the written complaints and enquiries we receive are initially considered by our Case Reception Unit. After considering your complaint or enquiry this unit will respond to the matters you have raised. In this initial response we will either deal with all the matters raised straight away or, where your complaint or enquiry will take longer to deal with we will:
- write to you, acknowledging that your complaint or enquiry has been received; and
- issue you with a reference number and tell you what will happen next.
If we are unable to accept your case we will tell you why. Where this is because we need more information from you we will tell you what we need and close your case until you are able to provide it.
Our Case Reception Unit is currently able to send this initial response to all written complaints and enquiries (including email) within 40 calendar days of receipt.
Complaints and enquiries that take longer to deal with
How long it takes us to deal with your case will depend on whether we are able to accept your complaint or enquiry and how complex it is. We have produced a guide to help explain the different types of cases we deal with and how we progress them.
Below is information about how long it currently takes us to deal with ALL the complaints we receive under the legislation we regulate.
Written complaints about DP and PECR
|
Type of complaint
|
% of complaints dealt with within 30 calendar days of receipt
(Mostly dealt with by our Case Reception Unit)
|
% of complaints dealt with within 90 calendar days of receipt
|
% of complaints dealt with within 180 calendar days of receipt
|
|
Data Protection Act or Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations
|
8
|
81
|
94
|
Written complaints about FoI and EIR
|
Type of complaint
|
% of complaints dealt with within 30 calendar days of receipt
(Mostly dealt with by our Case Reception Unit)
|
% of complaints dealt with within 180 calendar days of receipt
|
% of complaints dealt with within 365 calendar days of receipt
|
|
Freedom of Information Act or Environmental Information Regulations
|
59
|
71
|
81
|
Calls to our helpline
Our helpline advisers aim to provide a helpful and knowledgeable service and in the most cases your enquiry will be dealt with by the first person you speak to.
Where this is not possible we may need to transfer your call to someone better placed to help you. If we need to call you back we will aim to do so the same business day or at a time more convenient to you.
|
|
Average number of seconds
|
|
Average waiting time before speaking to a helpline adviser
|
61
|
Requests regarding notification under the Data Protection Act
|
Type of request
|
Turnaround time in working days
|
|
For a new notification
|
8-10
|
|
To renew a notification
|
5-8
|
|
To change or alter a notification
|
5-8
|