Grievance policy

We aim to provide the best in customer service and are proud that we receive few complaints. If you are not satisfied however, we would like to hear from you and will do our best to resolve your concerns and the issues you raise.

We always welcome feedback which can help us to improve our services. Equally if you would like to compliment us on the service we deliver, we would also welcome your feedback.

These pages will give you advice and guidance on what to do if you have a grievance or complaint about the learning & professional development department.

What do I do if I am unhappy with a decision made about me by the Learning & Professional Development department?

You may request a review of a decision made about you as long as it is not a decision based on academic judgement. ("Academic judgement" covers, for example, exam results, educational pre-requisites for entering a training contract and the assessment of qualifications for credit for prior learning purposes.)

For more details, please see grievances and exams section.

If you would like us to review a decision (other than a marks review), please email the grievance co-ordinator (grievance@icaew.com) or write to:

The Grievance Co-ordinator
Learning & Professional Development
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
Metropolitan House
321 Avebury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK9 2FZ

Requests to review a decision must be made via letter or email, not telephone, and must be received within 10 working days of your receipt of notification of the decision.

When will I hear from you?

The grievance co-ordinator will acknowledge your request within five working days of receipt. They will notify you of the outcome of your grievance within ten working days of receiving your request.

What do you mean by 'outcome'?

The grievance co-ordinator may:

• Request the person responsible for the original decision to check for errors or to see if further information could change their decision (You would need a valid reason if you had failed to follow appropriate procedures or failed to submit relevant information in time for a previous deadline)
• Log a formal complaint, which we would do our best to rectify and resolve
• Log a formal appeal, provided your case meets the criteria for this. Your case would only be likely to take this route if a successful outcome would bring you tangible benefits

What do you mean by an appeal?

If your case meets the appeal criteria, it would be put to an appeal panel. This would cost you £100, which is refundable if your appeal is successful, i.e. if the original decision is rescinded or varied in your favour.

What are the criteria for making an appeal?

For more details, please see criteria for making an appeal section.

How do I know if I can meet the appeal criteria?

When you initially ask us to review a decision, the grievance co-ordinator will, if we cannot resolve the issue in an easier way, consider whether your case might meet the appeal criteria. If this seems possible, they will then contact you to determine whether or not you have grounds for appeal and, if you do, they will assist you in preparing your case.

At what stage would I be charged £100?

When we have established that your case meets the appeal criteria and you decide to go ahead with an appeal. The fee is refundable if your appeal succeeds.

Would I attend the appeal hearing?

No. Your case would be presented by the grievance co-ordinator, who is also your contact throughout the whole process. Neither you nor the staff involved in the original decision can attend the hearing but you should be contactable by phone while the hearing is taking place, in case the panel need clarification of the facts.

How long would an appeal take?

In summary, about two-three months or a little longer.

Let's look at the process from the beginning, ie starting from before you get to the appeal stage.

We must receive your request for a review (in writing or via email to the grievance co-ordinator) within ten working days from your receipt of notification of the decision you are unhappy with.

The grievance co-ordinator will acknowledge your request within five working days of receipt and will notify you of the outcome within ten working days of receipt of your request. The outcome in this case is that you might have grounds for appeal.

The grievance co-ordinator helps you establish that you meet the appeal criteria and you decide to go ahead. You complete the appeal form (supplied by the grievance co-ordinator) and pay the fee. We must receive your appeal form and fee within ten working days of the date that the grievance co-ordinator has put on the form.

Your hearing is likely to be about a month after we receive your request for an appeal. You will be notified of the date for your hearing in sufficient time to prepare your case. You will have ten working days to send all relevant information and evidence to the grievance co-ordinator, who will then prepare your case and send you a copy of all the paperwork going to the Appeal Panel.

The grievance co-ordinator will write to you with the outcome of the appeal within ten working days of the Appeal Panel hearing.

What are the possible outcomes of an appeal?

The decision against which you appealed will be upheld or rescinded or varied. If it is rescinded or varied in your favour, you will get your money back. (Note that it is possible for the original decision to be varied to your disadvantage.)

If I am still unhappy, can I appeal against the decision of the Appeal Panel?

You might in certain circumstances be able to go to the appeal board. This will cost you £200, refundable upon success, i.e. if the Appeal Panel decision is rescinded or varied in your favour.

What about confidentiality?

We of course keep personal data confidential. Data relating to your case will be kept by the Institute for a set period and will then be anonymised. (Different rules may apply for data relating to appeals to the appeal board.) If you would like details of our policies on confidentiality, data protection and document retention relating to grievances or appeals, please contact the grievance co-ordinator (email grievance@icaew.com).