Finance Available

Specialists home improvement finance available

Home improvement finance now available, we offer a range of options across our product range.

Call into one of your local branches or contact us for more information.

SIG Ireland LTD FRN: 715378 trading as HHI Building Products are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability, and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply.   VAT No: GB487017333

 

Complaints Policy

Your views are important to us and if we do not deliver to the highest standards of service you should expect, or if we make a mistake, we want to know. We will investigate your complaint and try to resolve the the problem as quickly as possible.

How We Handle Complaints.

Step 1

Please contact us at your earliest convenience with the following information:

  • Your full name, address and telephone number.
  • Details of any previous correspondence you’ve had with us.
  • Details of your problem or complaint.

We will try to give you an answer there and then, but if this is not possible, we will take full details from you and arrange for the problem to be investigated.

You can always contact us in one of the following ways:

  • In writing: Ormonde House, HHI, 28a Malusk Road, BT36 4PP
  • By phone: 02890 838343
  • By email: [email protected]

 Step 2

We will try to resolve your complaint straight away. However, if it requires a more in-depth investigation, then we will aim to give you our final response within four weeks. If for whatever reason this is not possible, we will contact you to explain the reasons why and let you know how long our investigations are likely to take.

 Step 3

We hope that you’ll never have to do this, but if you’re not happy with the way we’ve handled your complaint, the outcome of it, or if eight weeks have passed and we have not sent you our final response, you may have the right to refer your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

You can always contact us in one of the following ways:

  • In writing: Ormonde House, HHI, 28a Malusk Road, BT36 4PP
  • By phone: 02890 838343
  • By email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Please remember that you will need to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months of receiving our final response.  If you have bought your purchase online, you can also register your complaints with the Online Dispute Resolution (external link) website, which has been set up by the European Commission.

OUR PROCESS FOR DEALING WITH POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE CUSTOMERS

A person is unable to make a specific decision if he/she cannot understand information about the decision to be made, cannot retain that information in his/her mind, cannot use or weigh that information as part of the decision-making process, or cannot communicate his/her decision. A person with mental health problems who are in debt is particularly vulnerable due to this (potential):

  • Lack of money management skills
  • A reliance on benefits income
  • Fluctuations in income or inability to work
  • Unmet housing, care or treatment needs
  • Poor communication skills
  • A relationship breakdown

Assessing a person’s mental health is complex but needs to be recognised in early contact and addressed appropriately. If we believe a person may be vulnerable, we will ask 3 key questions:

  1. Does your mental health affect your financial situation?
  2. Does it affect your ability to deal with or communicate with us?
  3. Does anyone help you to manage your finances such as a family member?

Signs we look out for when identifying vulnerability in customers:

  • Do they ask you to speak up or speak more slowly?
  • Do they understand what you are saying, or do they miss important bits?
  • Do they appear confused about what is being offered?
  • Do they ask any unrelated questions?
  • Do they keep wandering off the point in the discussion and talk about irrelevant things or things that don’t make sense?
  • Do they keep repeating themselves?
  • Do they take a long time to answer questions or say that someone else deals with these things for them?
  • Do they have a language barrier?
  • Do they say they don’t understand their bank statement, a previous phone conversation or recent written correspondence?

Steps we take if we believe a customer may be vulnerable:

  • We speak slowly, clearly and explain fully.
  • We are patient and empathise where appropriate.
  • We don’t rush as it may sometimes take the customer time to get relevant information together such as account details.
  • We keep on the subject under discussion.
  • We do not make assumptions about a customer’s needs.
  • We clarify understanding at every point and always ask if there is anything else he or she would like to explain.
  • We ask the consumer to explain to us what he or she understands the agreement to be.
  • We offer alternative types of communication-phones, post, email, in person.
  • We do not make assumptions that the person we are dealing with is sighted as he or she may be unable to read or understand serial numbers or account numbers.
  • We do not make assumptions that the customer we are talking to can hear everything we say as he or she may have a hearing impairment.
  • We always remember that the customer we are speaking to may sometimes be forgetful or overly trusting and believe that a sales representative is always acting in his best interest.
  • We understand that some customers may be lonely and welcome the opportunity just to talk to someone.
  • We give the customer time to explain his circumstances fully and don’t interrupt or appear impatient.
  • We also listen for what is NOT being said, for example, lack of questions about prices, lack of commitment, the timing of responses, and extended silences.

Treating Customers Fairly

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) Principle 6 requires a firm to pay due regard to the interests of its clients and treat them fairly. We are fully committed to (TCF) and this Policy has been designed to demonstrate the application of TCF during our day to day activities. TCF is embedded throughout the FCA’s handbook and the FCA’s six core consumer outcomes are embedded in our firm.

These are:

  • Consumers can be confident they are dealing with firms where TCF is central to the corporate culture.
  • Products and services marketed and sold in the retail market are designed to meet the needs of identified consumer groups and targeted accordingly.
  • Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after this point of sale.
  • Where consumers receive advice, the advice is suitable and takes account of their circumstances.
  • Consumers are provided with the products that perform as firms have led them to expect and the associate’s services are both of an acceptable standard and as they have been led to expect.
  • Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change products, switch providers, submit a claim or make a complaint.

Our TCF Mission statement.  We will act with integrity in everything we do and put our customers at the heart of our business.

Our TCF Principles

  • Customers will be provided with clear information and kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.
  • If we give advice to our customers, the advice will be suitable and take account of their circumstances.
  • Our level of service and product performance will meet the expectations of our customers as far as reasonably possible.
  • We will ensure that there is no barrier for customers to express their requests, concerns or complaints, and will always be responsive to them.
  • Products and services will be designed to meet the needs of our customers.

Assessing and implementing our TCF Principles

Marketing

All our financial promotions and marketing materials are reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for our target audience and are presented in a clear, fair and not misleading manner.

Sales, Advice, Management

When providing advice, our adviser obtains a detailed understanding of the customer’s needs so that our recommendations are suitable. We ensure that our customers understand the risks involved with any service or product offered and are aware of all fees and charges.

Post-sales Information and Support

We strive to keep our customers informed pre, during and post contract. Appropriate records are held and can be provided as required on an ongoing basis. We have the appropriate capacity for storing and processing information to ensure continuous support. We have no post-sale barriers in place which restrict customers’ access.

Policies and Procedures

We have policies and procedures that are relevant to the fair treatment of our customers, and which also meet FCA requirements. These are (this is not an exhaustive list):

  • Conflicts of Interests policy
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Vulnerable Customers Policy
  • Training and Competence Policy
  • Financial Crime including Bribery & Corruption & Money Laundering
  • Complaint Handling Procedures
  • Financial Promotions Procedures

Management Information (MI)

We produce MI to assess our performance against the TCF principles. We ensure that MI is accurate, timely, consistent and relevant to assist the business to make informed decisions in the best interests of our customers.

We produce MI reports which are reviewed regularly by senior managers, directors and board members in various meetings.

Awareness/Training

We ensure that all advisers and staff are familiar with the TCF principle and its outcomes. In addition, where applicable, advisers and staff are trained to advise on and adequately explain our products and services. We make sure that all advisers and staff achieve the necessary qualifications and training to carry out their roles to the required competence level. We undertake regular monitoring and assessment of our advisers and staff so that we can ensure their competence.

Remuneration

We operate a remuneration model that does not reward sales performance only, to mitigate sales bias. We reward nonsales staff in a which does not negatively impact the treatment of our customers. All staff contribute to the firm’s overall target. The sale of finance is not incentivised.

Complaints

Our goal is to provide excellent customer service and handling plays a major part in our TCF policy. We deal with customer complaints fairly and objectively and attempt to put things right as quickly as possible, in accordance with the requirements of the FCA dispute & Resolution handbook. All complaints are recorded and monitored, and a root cause analysis is performed.

All are reported as MI and analysed in a senior management meeting.

Conclusion

We encourage a culture of personal responsibility and impress upon all involved with our firm that a good culture is central to the economic health of our firm. We strive to build both customer trust and inspire employees. Getting the culture and conduct right is in the interests of our economic strengths and our shareholders.

We frequently review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that TCF remains central to our firms.

We ask our clients to provide us feedback, sometimes formally through customer surveys, which enables us to improve our services. The information we gather from our customers is reported in our MI and reviewed by senior management, directors and board members to help shape any strategic decisions.