Complaints Handling Policy

The CPD Standards Office


CPD-standards-office-3-brand-logos
All of our members have one of the above logos with a provider number – please ensure that this is one of our providers – thank you.

Complaints about our Members

We are an accreditation service and accredit training activities. Complaints about member services should be taken up directly with the provider or contact should be made with Trading Standards or Environment Health Services where applicable.

We are unable to comment on the following:

  • A provider not using/following their own complaints procedure
  • We are unable to advise the name of the complainant to the provider
  • The condition of the training premises
  • The wrong name being given to the course applied for
  • Hygiene

We can respond on the following:

  • Courses that claim to be accredited
  • Misuse of individual logos
  • Attendance certificates being issued for non-accredited courses

Our complaints policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards and customer service.

If you have a complaint, please contact us with details. We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time you may complain to our Independent Expert Advisory Board.


What will happen next?

  1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
  2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our client relations manager, who will review the matter and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
  3. Our Director of CPD Accreditation & Research will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. This will happen within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
  4. Within three days of the meeting, we will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions we have agreed with you.
  5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, the Director of CPD Accreditation & Research will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
  6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for an appropriate alternative such as review by a local solicitor, or mediation, to review the decision.
  7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
  8. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the CPD Standards Expert Advisory Board about your complaint at richard.gott@memberwise.org.uk – Richard Gott (Independent Advisory Board Chair).


Normally you will need to bring a complaint to the Expert Advisory Board within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within two years of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring.


Please note that this Complaints Policy is set out with the intention of resolving any issues to the fullest and continuing an effective working relationship between CPDSO and its members. No refunds or contract cancellations will be considered unless all steps are followed as outlined on this page and no reasonable solution or resolution is found.