Complaints Procedure
We aim to give all our customers the best possible service. View Customer Services Guide INF101 (NI). We try to deal with all applications and enquiries correctly, quickly and politely. But sometimes things can go wrong and so we have set up an effective way of dealing with complaints. We care about the quality of our service and we always try to be as helpful as possible when we deal with a complaint.
For us a complaint is:
"any criticism, either written or spoken, about our service"
If your complaint is a very serious one, we may ask you to put it in writing so that we are quite clear about why you are unhappy. Our staff will be happy to help you write your letter. But if your complaint is less serious, you can make it by phone. We will also accept complaints by fax or you can send us an e-mail. Further information can be obtained from our information leaflet INF171 (NI) Complaints Procedure.
Tel: 0845 402 4000
International Tel :- +44 120 477 0768
Fax: 028 7034 1422
(If you contact DVA outside office hours, you will be given the option to transfer to the Agency's information line where you will be given basic information.)
If you think we have treated you unfairly, please tell the person you have been dealing with in the Local Vehicle Licensing Office or the Vehicle Licensing Central Office.
Hopefully he or she will be able to sort out your problem. If not, we will pass your complaint to the Manager of the office or section you have been dealing with.
If you are not happy with the way the Manager of the office or section has dealt with your complaint, or if you are not sure who to contact, please write to : -
- The Customer Services Manager
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland
- County Hall
- Castlerock Road
- Coleraine
- BT51 3HS
The Customer Services Manager will look into your complaint and send you a reply within ten working days of getting your letter.
If we cannot send a full reply within this time, you will get a written acknowledgement advising of the reason for delay and a full reply will follow when the issue has been cleared. If we have made a mistake, we will apologise and try to put things right straight away.
If you are still not happy with this reply, you can write to the Chief Executive at Vehicle Licensing Central Office, who will also reply within ten working days of getting your letter.
All Complaints will be :
- Treated confidentially
- Investigated thoroughly
- Replied to within ten working days of getting your letter
If there is going to be a delay, we will let you know the reason and when you can expect to get a full reply.
You can also write to a Member of Parliament asking them to raise the matter for you or to refer it to the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and Commissioner for complaints (known as the Ombudsman). The Ombudsman is independent and can investigate complaints against Government Departments and their Agencies including DVA. The Ombudsman will normally expect you to have used our complaints procedure before considering your complaint.
You can contact the Ombudsman at :
- The Northern Ireland Ombudsman
- Progressive House
- 33 Wellington Place Belfast
- BT1 6HN
- Tel: 028 9023 3821
- Freephone: 0800 34 34 24
- Fax: 028 9023 4912
Or you can write to :
- The NI Ombudsman
- Freepost
- BEL 1478
- Belfast BT1 6BR
