Cumberland Council is committed to putting customers at the heart of everything we do. We work across a wide range of services, teams and locations and aim to deliver consistently high standards of service to everyone who contacts us.
We recognise that customers may sometimes feel frustrated or angry, or feel they are not receiving the information or service they need. This policy is not intended to prevent customers from raising legitimate concerns, enquiries or requests, or from pursuing them. However, we expect all interactions to be courteous, respectful and patient.
In a small number of cases, customer behaviour may be considered unreasonable. This can include:
- being unreasonably persistent in contact, including complaints
- demonstrating unacceptable behaviour, including abusive, offensive or threatening conduct
Our staff have the right to carry out their work free from discrimination, abuse (verbal or physical) and harassment. They also have the right to feel safe and secure. For this reason, we operate a zero‑tolerance approach to violence and aggression and have a duty to protect the safety and welfare of our staff.
Where customer behaviour is unreasonable or unreasonably persistent, we may restrict contact or apply other proportionate and managed sanctions in line with this policy.
This policy operates alongside our health and safety procedures and other relevant corporate policies.
Alternative formats and translations can be provided on request.
Procedure
For the purposes of this policy, unreasonable or unreasonably persistent customer conduct refers to behaviour which, because of the frequency or nature of contact, hinders our ability to properly consider complaints, enquiries or requests.
This includes frequent complaints, requests, concerns or enquiries that:
- clearly have no serious purpose or value
- are vexatious in nature
- are intended to cause disruption or annoyance
- have the effect of harassing us or our staff, or can reasonably be described as obsessive or unreasonable
- take up an unreasonable amount of officer time and prevent staff from carrying out other work
Unacceptable behaviour can also include:
- abusive, offensive or threatening behaviour, verbally or physically
- behaviour that amounts to bullying or harassment
Examples of behaviour that may trigger this policy
The following examples of customer conduct may result in us applying this policy. This is not an exhaustive list:
- unwillingness to follow our procedures
- insisting that issues are dealt with in ways that are incompatible with our procedures or good practice
- making unreasonable demands of officers or members, including unrealistic timescales for responses
- making unreasonable requests about who should deal with a complaint, enquiry or request, or how it should be handled
- repeatedly refusing to accept documented evidence
- insisting that no response has been received, or that responses are unacceptable without reasonable justification
- sending a high volume of letters, emails or phone calls, including to multiple recipients
- continuing to raise new or trivial matters, or repeatedly raising similar issues after they have already been addressed
- making multiple complaints, requests or enquiries about different issues in succession
- refusing to specify the grounds of a complaint despite offers of support from our staff
- making unfounded complaints about staff and requesting that they be replaced
- refusing to accept that a matter is outside the scope of a procedure after this has been explained
- introducing trivial or irrelevant information and insisting it is fully considered
- recording meetings or conversations without the knowledge or consent of others involved
- pursuing complaints or requests simultaneously with multiple bodies, such as councillors, MPs, legal representatives, the police or the Ombudsman
- refusing to accept a final decision
- unacceptable behaviour on social media, where we may restrict or block contact
Process
Before applying this policy and introducing any sanctions or restrictions, we will normally issue a warning letter. This will explain how the customer’s behaviour is affecting our work or our staff.
Implementing the policy
If a warning does not result in a change in behaviour, the matter may be escalated for further consideration.
Where a decision is made to apply this policy, we will inform the customer in writing. This will include:
- examples of the behaviour we consider unreasonable
- details of any sanctions applied
- the period during which behaviour will be monitored
- the consequences of failing to change behaviour
- how to appeal the decision
- a copy of this policy
Where a customer has additional needs, we may suggest the use of an advocate and will offer support to help them find independent assistance.
Sanctions
Any action we take will be appropriate and proportionate to the nature and frequency of the customer’s behaviour at the time.
Sanctions may include one or more of the following:
- setting time limits on telephone calls or face‑to‑face contact
- restricting the number of telephone calls we will accept, for example one call during a specified time each week
- limiting contact to one method of communication and/or one named member of staff
- requiring in‑person meetings to take place with a witness present
- refusing to register or process further complaints or requests about the same matter
- restricting access to our offices, subject to review after a set period
Violence, threats and aggression
We will not tolerate behaviour involving harassment, threats, aggression or violence towards our staff. This may result in police involvement or legal action. Where staff safety is at risk, we may take immediate action without prior warning.
Right of appeal
Customers can request a review of the decision by submitting a written appeal within 14 days of this policy being applied. The appeal must explain the reasons for the request.
We will complete reviews within 28 days of receipt. Reviews will be carried out by a manager independent of the service involved.
Reviewing and removing restrictions
Once applied, restrictions will be reviewed within a maximum of 12 months by the service that implemented them. We will decide whether to continue, amend or remove the restrictions.
Where customers demonstrate that they can work within the boundaries set out in this policy and take a more reasonable approach, we may lift the restrictions. The officer or team that recommended the policy will make this decision and confirm it in writing.
If a customer has completed our complaints process, they can request an independent investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Information and record keeping
Whenever we apply this policy, we will record:
- all written or verbal correspondence and interactions with the customer
- full details of the complaint, enquiry or request, including customer contact details