Everyone at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is committed to providing our customers with a professional, personal and friendly service. We want to deliver the best possible service to all our residents and visitors.
To ensure that you receive quality service:
We promise to:
- provide high standards of customer care regardless of how you contact us
- respect and treat all our customers fairly and equally
- provide a translation service or documents in alternative formats, if required
- ensure our services are as easily accessible as possible
- be polite, welcoming and efficient, resolving your enquiry first time wherever possible
- make many of our services accessible 24 hours a day through our website, www.basingstoke.gov.uk – allowing you to apply for services, report problems, find information and make payments and bookings
- always carry identification when we visit you
- apologise when we get something wrong and put things right as soon as possible
- provide you with feedback about what we’ve done in response to things you’ve told us about
If you telephone us we will:
- aim to answer your call within 15 seconds and with a polite greeting identifying ourselves
- however, if your enquiry relates to complex housing needs, housing benefit, local tax or a planning matter you may wait considerably longer to speak to a specialist officer due to the high demand and level of advice provided
- answer your enquiry at first contact or if necessary, try to transfer your call no more than once
- return your call within one working day, unless we need to find out more for you. If that happens we will ring you back as soon as we can with a response
- give you the name, telephone number and email address of the person dealing with your enquiry
- respond to voicemail messages within one working day.
If you write to us we will:
- reply within 10 working days, either with a full response or to let you know when a full response will be provided if we need more time to gather information
- provide a response which is clear and in plain English.
If you email us we will:
- reply within five working days or let you know when a full response will be provided if we need to gather more information and cannot respond in that timescale
- provide a response which is clear and in plain English.
If you visit us we will:
- greet you in a polite and helpful manner
- try to resolve your enquiry within 10 minutes of your arrival. However, if your enquiry relates to complex Housing Needs, Housing Benefit, Local Tax or a Planning matter you may wait considerably longer to see a specialist officer due to the high demand and level of advice provided
- let you know when we will be able to resolve your query if we cannot do so during your visit
- try to give you all the advice and information that you need
- arrange a private interview room if required.
If we visit you we will:
- normally arrange an appointment in advance
- provide you with our identification before coming into your home
- let you know if there is any information we need before we visit
- give you as much notice as possible if an appointment has to be altered or cancelled
- help you to fill in forms, if required.
How you can help us provide a better service
You can help to provide a pleasant environment for us and other customers by:
- treating our staff with respect and be considerate and polite when you contact us
- understanding that we will not tolerate abusive language or threatening behaviour towards staff or other people using our services and that we will take action, including prosecution if necessary, against anyone who threatens or verbally or physically abuses our staff.
- providing complete and accurate information
- giving us more information when we ask you for it
- making an appointment in advance if you wish to speak to a particular person
- being on time for your appointment or letting us know if you are going to be late or need to rearrange
- letting us know of any special needs you may have, in advance if possible
- telling us if you don’t understand something we tell you or ask you.
If you have any questions or issues about our Customer Charter we would be pleased to hear from you.
Email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk
Telephone 01256844844
lines are open from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and from 8.30am to 5pm Friday
BT Text Relay 1800101256844844
Text 07797 877006
Post Civic Offices
London Road
Basingstoke
RG21 4AH
