Complaints Policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality mentoring service. If something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with any aspect of what we do, we want to know about it so we can put it right and learn from it. This policy explains how to raise a complaint and what you can expect from us.

This policy is available to:

• Businesses and individuals who use or have used the Unlocked platform
• Mentors registered on the platform
• Participants receiving funded mentoring through a programme partner
• Commissioning organisations and programme partners
• Members of the public

Complaints may relate to:

• The quality or delivery of mentoring sessions
• Mentor conduct or behaviour
• Platform functionality or technical issues
• Booking, payment or billing issues
• How we have handled your personal data
• Accessibility of the website or platform
• The delivery of a funded programme
• Any other aspect of our service

If your complaint relates to a safeguarding concern — for example, inappropriate behaviour, abuse or a risk to safety — please refer to our Safeguarding Policy immediately. Safeguarding concerns are treated as urgent.

Please contact us by email at support@unlockedexpertise.com with the subject line “Complaint”.

Please include:

• Your name and contact details
• A clear description of your complaint
• When the issue occurred
• Any relevant booking or account references
• What outcome you are seeking
• Any supporting information or evidence

All complaints are treated confidentially and investigated fairly. We follow a three-stage process:

Stage 1: Acknowledgement

We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days of receiving it. We will confirm who is handling your complaint and what will happen next.

Stage 2: Investigation and response

We will investigate your complaint thoroughly and provide a substantive response within 10 working days. If we need more time, we will let you know and explain why.

Stage 3: Escalation

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may request an escalated review. This will be conducted by a senior member of the team who was not involved in the original investigation. An escalated response will be provided within 20 working days of the escalation request.

If your complaint relates to how we handle personal data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113

We encourage you to contact us first so we have the opportunity to address your concern directly.

We record and review all complaints to identify patterns and improve our service. Where a complaint highlights a systemic issue, we will take appropriate steps to prevent recurrence.

This complaints policy is reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in our service or regulatory requirements.