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Complaints Procedure

Last updated: 30 April 2026

1. Introduction

We take customer complaints extremely seriously and are committed to resolving issues quickly and efficiently, ensuring customers feel they have been dealt with fairly.

This procedure applies to all complaints from customers and prospective customers, whether they relate to our products, our installations, our staff, or finance arranged through us.

2. How to Contact Us

You can raise a complaint in any of the following ways:

  • Phone: 0800 222 9494 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
  • Email: customercare@ukem.co.uk
  • Post: Customer Care, UK Energy Management Group Ltd, 6 Crown Road, Quay West Business Village, Sunderland, SR5 2AL

To help us investigate quickly, please include your name, the best way to reach you, your installation address or order reference if you have one, and a clear description of what has gone wrong and what outcome you would like.

3. Records

All complaint records are held for at least 72 months and/or the duration of the measure's guarantees in line with GDPR.

4. Process

4.1 Log Customer Complaint

All complaints shall be logged onto our customer complaints tracker and an acknowledgement email/letter sent to confirm receipt.

For reference, the creation of a complaint has been augmented with closed system and GDPR compliant Vertex AI to streamline the identification of any factors that a customer may wish to express dissatisfaction about. This enables faster focus, discussion and action on the important points. For the avoidance of doubt, the AI tool supports process and is wholly validated by the customer and/or our own representatives in real time.

Within 24 hours of receipt of the complaint the following people will be notified:

  • The Retrofit Coordinator
  • TrustMark Scheme Provider (if applicable)
  • Designated customer complaints handler

4.2 Assessment and Initial Response

The designated complaint handler will carry out the investigation, working with key parties concerned to gather all the key facts so that an action can be agreed. Once collated, a complaint acknowledgement email or letter will be sent to confirm:

  • Understanding of the concerns being raised;
  • Acknowledgement and explanation where UKEM feel it is unjustified; and
  • Confirmation of next steps where remediation or additional work is required.

4.3 Customer Acceptance

We wish to ensure customers understand and are satisfied with the resolution plans we create and/or explanations we give. Therefore, once the scope of works and/or redress to close out a complaint are agreed we aim to complete within 10 working days; all factors within our control permitting.

4.4 Confirmation of Redress and Final Response

Once all redress is completed, customers will be contacted to confirm completion, followed by a documented final response.

The final response will consist of one of the following:

  • UKEM accept the complaint, and when appropriate, have provided redress or other remedial action;
  • UKEM doesn't accept the complaint but in exceptional circumstances has offered redress or remedial action as a goodwill gesture;
  • UKEM rejected the complaint and explains why the complaint has been rejected;
  • An indication that a final response cannot be issued at this time, including an explanation of why it cannot be provided and when UKEM might expect to issue a final response; or
  • An indication that all or part of the complaint has been forwarded to another party with an explanation as to why UKEM believes the other party should address the complaint or relevant part of the complaint. Relevant other parties are referenced in the escalation section below.

For the avoidance of doubt, if only a part of the complaint is forwarded to another party, we will provide an appropriate response to the remaining portion of the complaint applicable to UKEM.

We aim to provide our final response within four weeks. If your complaint is more complex and we need longer, we will keep you updated and provide a final response no later than eight weeks from the date you first contacted us.

5. Escalation

In the case where a customer is not satisfied with UKEM's position, they should be referred to the relevant Ombudsman Service as per the Alternative Dispute Resolution Law that protects consumers' rights.

It is important that our customers give us the opportunity of addressing any concerns first before escalating their complaint to an Ombudsman Service, as the relevant Ombudsman will only consider a complaint after we have had the opportunity to sort out the matter under our internal complaints process.

5.1 Complaints About Finance

UKEM is an Appointed Representative of Shermin Finance Limited (FRN 727594), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Shermin Finance Limited acts as a credit broker, not a lender.

If your complaint relates to finance arranged through us and you are not satisfied with our final response, or if eight weeks have passed without a final response, you can refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service:

You normally have six months from the date of our final response to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. We will co-operate fully with the Financial Ombudsman Service in any investigation arising from a finance complaint.

5.2 Complaints About Installations or Service - Dispute Resolution Ombudsman

If our customers are not satisfied with our response, or UKEM indicates that it is not able to issue a response within eight weeks, we will advise our customer if they are entitled to refer their complaint to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman Service. Any such referral must be completed within six months of the date of the final response. The final response will include the contact details of the Ombudsman Service.

Their details are below:

Where your installation is also covered by a separate consumer protection scheme (for example, MCS, RECC, HIES, or TrustMark), the relevant scheme details will be in your installation paperwork, or we can confirm them on request.

6. Data Protection Complaints

If you believe that UK Energy Management Group Ltd ("UKEM") has handled your personal information in a way that breaches data protection law, you have the right to make a data protection complaint directly to us.

This procedure is provided in accordance with Section 164A of the Data Protection Act 2018 (as inserted by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025). You do not need to use legal terminology or cite specific legislation to make a complaint.

This procedure is available to anyone whose personal information we hold, including customers, prospective customers, suppliers, employees, job applicants, and any other individual.

6.1 What You Can Complain About

You can make a data protection complaint if you believe we have:

  • Collected, used, or stored your personal information inappropriately
  • Failed to keep your personal information secure
  • Shared your personal information without a lawful basis
  • Failed to respond to a request to access, correct, or delete your data
  • Sent you marketing communications without your consent
  • Made decisions about you using automated processing without appropriate safeguards
  • Not handled a previous data protection request properly

This section covers complaints specifically about data protection. For complaints about the quality of a product, installation, finance, or service, please follow the general process set out in Sections 1 to 5 above.

6.2 How to Submit a Complaint

You can submit a data protection complaint using any of the following methods:

  • Email: customercare@ukem.co.uk (please include "Data Protection Complaint" in the subject line).
  • Post: Data Protection Complaint, UK Energy Management Group Ltd, 6 Crown Road, Quay West Business Village, Sunderland, SR5 2AL.

To help us investigate your complaint efficiently, please include:

  • Your full name and contact details
  • A description of what happened and when
  • What personal information is involved (if known)
  • What outcome you are looking for
  • Any relevant reference numbers or correspondence

If you are making a complaint on behalf of another person, we will ask you to provide evidence that you are authorised to act on their behalf (for example, a signed letter of authority or power of attorney).

6.3 What Happens Next

Acknowledgement. We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days of receipt. Our acknowledgement will confirm:

  • That we have received your complaint
  • A reference number for your complaint
  • Who is handling your complaint
  • What to expect next

Investigation. We will investigate your complaint without undue delay. Depending on the complexity of the issue, this may involve:

  • Reviewing the personal information we hold about you
  • Speaking with relevant staff or third parties
  • Reviewing our processes and records

We aim to provide a final outcome within three months of receiving your complaint and will keep you informed of progress throughout. If we cannot resolve your complaint within that timeframe due to its complexity or other exceptional circumstances, we will write to you to explain the reasons for the delay and provide a revised timeframe.

Outcome. Once our investigation is complete, we will write to you with the outcome. This will include:

  • A summary of what we found
  • Whether we believe data protection law has been followed
  • Any actions we have taken or plan to take as a result
  • An explanation of your options if you are not satisfied with the outcome

6.4 If You Are Not Satisfied

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have two options. You can either:

  • Ask us to review our decision. We will consider any additional information you provide and issue a final response; or
  • Lodge a complaint directly with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

You may contact the ICO at any time. Their details are:

  • Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
  • Telephone: 0303 123 1113
  • Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

The ICO may ask you to confirm that you have raised your complaint with us first before they investigate.

6.5 Record Keeping

We maintain a record of all data protection complaints received, including the nature of the complaint, how it was investigated, the outcome, and any actions taken. These records are reviewed periodically to identify trends and improve our data protection practices.

6.6 Contact

If you have any questions about this procedure or need help submitting a complaint, please contact us at customercare@ukem.co.uk or call 0800 222 9494.