Complaints policy and procedure
This procedure has been devised to ensure the proper, efficient and timely handling of any complaints which may be received arising from the operations of Viva Theatre Group.
It applies to matters relating to the administration and control of its office and ticketing, its programme of events and shows, its community activities, and its staging of shows and performances with reference in particular to the comfort and safety of all members of the public in attendance.
To whom does this policy apply?
We will apply this policy to any eligible complainant, defined as:
- an audience member
- a participant in any event or show hosted or staged by Viva
- any other person having contact with, or visiting, Viva whether as a potential member, purchaser of tickets, or for any other legitimate purpose
How can you make a complaint?
Any person who, in the course of engagement or participation with Viva, as above, is concerned or dissatisfied with an event or show, anything presented, said, done, to him or her, or another, occurring within or in relation to it, or who wishes to report a specific incident, is encouraged to do so.
It may be that such matter of concern or dissatisfaction has been raised on the day itself with an appropriate member or Trustee of Viva.
However, in order to enable us to properly investigate any such matter in accordance with this Policy, we ask that grounds of concern or complaint are submitted in writing to the Chair of Trustees, Daniel Schumann, at ds@danielschumann.co.uk as soon as possible following the date of the matter of complaint and, in any event, within 14 days thereafter.
We request that such written communication sets out your grounds of concern or complaint in as much detail as possible, identifying in particular the time(s) of any incident and names which may be known to you of any person or persons involved.
Please do not address your communication to any other member or Trustee of Viva, although should any such member or Trustee be the recipient of any such written complaint, it will be immediately passed on to the Chair of Trustees for consideration and response.
What will we do once your complaint is received?
The Chair of Trustees will acknowledge receipt of your communication within 48 hours and, where possible, indicate the likely timescale for full response.
That predicted timescale will depend upon the likely nature of enquiries to be made, the availability of individuals who may need to assist with those enquiries, and in more serious cases, whether third parties or statutory authorities may need to be informed.
Depending on the subject-matter, it may also be necessary to notify Viva’s insurers, and for such insurers to handle the matter on our behalf.
In normal circumstances we will always endeavour to respond fully within 14 days of receipt.
Resolution of complaint
We will investigate your grounds of concern or complaint fairly and consistently. If the complaint is upheld, we will determine any remedial action and/or redress which may be necessary. In an appropriate case we will always be willing to offer an apology and to learn from any failure which may have been identified.
If we find no substance in the matter of concern or complaint raised we will endeavour to explain our findings as clearly and comprehensively as possible.
Subject to the right of appeal below, we will regard your concern or complaint as resolved once our final response has been sent, although in appropriate cases will consider and further respond to any subsequent representations, or information, provided to us at that stage.
Appeal
Should you be dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint as notified above and seek a different outcome to what we have determined, then you are entitled to lodge an appeal. Such appeal must be submitted no later than 7 days from receipt of our findings in relation to your complaint, setting out details of your grounds of dissatisfaction and why you believe the outcome should have been different. Such appeal, as above, should be sent to the Chair of Trustees.
Thereafter we will carefully consider your grounds of appeal, undertake such further enquiries and investigations as may be necessary, and review the decision made. We will then advise you of the response to your appeal, detailing, in the event we consider your appeal is merited, any new or additional steps it is proposed to take. Such notification of response to appeal will be made within 14 days, unless we should advise that, in the light of matters raised, a longer period will be needed.
Date: January 2021
Review date: January 2023
Reviewed: March 2023
Review Date: Jan 2025