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Academic Support

Complaints

All Students have the right to complain. If you are unhappy with a decision or something on your course, don’t suffer in silence.

Complaints generally fall into two categories

All Students have the right to complain. If you are unhappy with a decision or something on your course, don’t suffer in silence.
All Students have the right to complain. If you are unhappy with a decision or something on your course, don’t suffer in silence.

Complaints do not always have to have a negative impact, they can be a way of improving things for the future.

How do I make a complaint?

STEP 1 - The first port of call should be to try and resolve the complaint informally. In most cases 99% of complaints can be resolved without actually making a formal complaint.This means that you need to go and calmly talk to the people involved.

For an academic complaint these people could be:

  • Your personal tutor
  • Your course leader
  • Your head of department

For a complaint about services or facilities these people could be:

  • The Librarian, if you have an issue with the library
  • Your Halls manager, if your complaint concerns your accommodation, and so on

    If you have spoken to the person concerned and you cannot settle the issue informally, then you have the right to formally complain.

    STEP 2- A formal complaint should be in writing. It must meet the criteria laid down within the formal university guide. Please ask the Students’ Union centre for a copy of this guide, if you do not already have one.Your complaint should contain the following:
    • Headed- “Formal Statement of Complaint”
    • It should state what the problem is and who the problem is with.
    • You must give a full account from start to finish within a statement. This should include, what steps you have already taken to try and resolve the problem and what you would like to be done.
    • The reason why the outcome of the informal complaint was not satisfactory.Your statement must be signed, dated and your name printed.

The university guide contains a form at the back.This form is for guidance as to the headings you should use within your statement, to ensure that you have met all the criteria. Please see below for the appropriate statement headings:

  • STUDENT REGISTRATION NUMBER
  • FAMILY NAME
  • FORENAME
  • COURSE/STUDY ROUTE AND YEAR/LEVEL
  • ADDRESS
  • EMAIL ADDRESS
  • TELEPHONE NUMBER
  • UNIT AFFECTED
  • TYPE OF COMPLAINT
  • STATEMENT- INCLUDING GROUNDS FOR COMPLAINT AND PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE.
  • EVIDENCE OF YOUR COMPLAINT
  • YOUR PREFERRED OUTCOME
  • YOUR SIGNATURE
  • DATE

You have 20 working days from when the complained matter occurred to submit your form and there is also the opportunity to provide evidence to back up your complaint.

Completed complaints forms need to be submitted to the Students complaints department at the below address, care of Samantha Hill:

FAO: Samantha Hill
University of Portsmouth,
Academic Registry
University House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth, PO1 2UP

What happens next?

You will receive written confirmation from the Students complaints officer to say whether they have received your complain and whether it has been found to be a valid complaint or not.

IF YOUR COMPLAINT IS VALID

Your complaint will be forwarded to the relevant Head of Department/ service to be investigated. The complaints officer will inform you who this person is. It should take no more than 20 working days to investigate your complaint. If the investigation is to take longer, you will be informed. The conclusion of the investigation will be conveyed to you in writing. You will have 5 working days to confirm whether you are happy with the outcome and conclusions.

IF YOUR COMPLAINT IS NOT VALID

If your complaint is not valid, the students complaints officer will return your form with advice, 2/3 if appropriate on how to pursue the matter further.