Wingate Estate Agents Limited aims to provide a professional and considerate service. When you believe something has gone wrong, tell us so that we can investigate, explain our position and put matters right where appropriate.
This procedure covers concerns about our sales, lettings, management and related services. You do not need to instruct a solicitor or pay us a fee to use it. A complaint will not, by itself, prejudice your application, tenancy or transaction.
Our commitment
- We acknowledge a complaint promptly and explain who will handle it.
- We consider the evidence impartially and provide a reasoned response.
- We accept concerns through different channels and make reasonable adjustments.
- We keep appropriate records, explain any delay and learn from outcomes.
- We share complaint information only where needed to investigate or meet an applicable duty.
- We do not retaliate against someone for raising a concern or seeking independent advice.
Working days in this procedure mean Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays in England. Where a deadline is expressed simply in days, it means calendar days.
Who can complain, and about what
2.1 Who can use the procedure
Landlords, prospective landlords, tenants, applicants, guarantors, buyers and sellers can raise a concern. We also consider concerns from a person directly affected by our service, such as a neighbour of a managed property. An authorised representative may act for you.
2.2 Services within scope
The procedure covers the work Wingate performs, including property marketing, viewings, applications, communications, agreed management, payments handled by us, instructions to contractors and the conduct of our staff.
2.3 Matters requiring another route
- A dispute solely between other parties, where Wingate had no material involvement, may need to be taken to those parties or another appropriate body.
- A disagreement about proposed deposit deductions is normally considered through the relevant deposit-protection scheme. A complaint about how we administered the deposit can still concern our service.
- A court or tribunal may need to determine a legal entitlement. We explain where existing proceedings affect our ability to investigate, rather than treating every related service complaint as automatically excluded.
- A complaint about an independent supplier may need that supplier's procedure, while any separate concern about our instruction or coordination remains open to review.
Where we consider that a matter is outside our remit, we explain why and identify a suitable route where possible. Our view does not prevent you from asking Property Redress to decide whether the matter falls within its own jurisdiction.
What we treat as a complaint
An expression of dissatisfaction about our service, made by you or on your behalf and calling for a response, is a complaint. It can concern an action, an omission, a delay, the way you were treated or the outcome of a service.
An ordinary request for information or a first report of a repair may initially be handled through the normal service route. If your concern is about our response or handling, tell us and we will consider it under this procedure.
How to raise a complaint
4.1 An informal conversation
Speaking with the person handling the matter or their manager may resolve an issue quickly. You may use this option, but it is not a compulsory step before making a formal complaint.
4.2 Contact the Complaints Manager
By email
By telephone
020 4531 0143
We will make a written note of the concern.
By post
Complaints Manager
Wingate Estate Agents Limited
233 Regents Park Road, London, England, N3 3LF
In person
Contact us to arrange a suitable appointment, including any access or communication adjustments you need.
An oral complaint is not rejected because it has not been submitted on a form or in writing. We prepare a summary, give you an opportunity to correct it and start the appropriate investigation without making unnecessary formalities a barrier.
4.3 Help and adjustments
Tell us about a disability, language requirement, reading difficulty or other support need. Suitable arrangements may include a telephone discussion, an accessible written format, an agreed meeting or an authorised representative. We discuss what will help and record only the information needed to make the arrangement.
4.4 Helpful information
- Your name and preferred contact method.
- The property address and your relationship to the matter.
- What happened, including the main dates and people involved.
- Relevant messages, documents or other evidence.
- The outcome or practical remedy you are seeking.
Please raise the concern even when you do not have every item. We ask for anything else needed and explain why. Only proportionate identity or authority checks are required before discussing confidential information.
Stage 1: acknowledgement and investigation
- 01
Acknowledgement within 3 working days
We confirm receipt, provide a reference or other clear way to identify the matter, name the person handling it and give the expected response date.
- 02
An impartial review of the evidence
A manager or director reviews the relevant records, correspondence and accounts, speaks with those involved where necessary and considers the agreed service and applicable obligations. So far as practicable, the investigator will not have been directly involved in the event.
- 03
A written response within 15 working days of acknowledgement
Our response explains the issues considered, the findings and reasons, any corrective action or remedy offered, and how to request a final internal review.
When more time is needed
Where complexity or necessary third-party evidence means the target cannot be met, we explain the reason before the deadline, describe the outstanding work and give a revised target date. We keep you informed while the matter remains open.
Stage 2: final internal review
If the Stage 1 response does not resolve the concern, request a final review within 28 calendar days of that response. Explain what remains disputed and provide any additional material. We consider a later request where there is a reasonable explanation.
A director or other suitably senior person who was not the Stage 1 decision-maker will take a fresh look at the issues. Where the size of the business creates a practical difficulty, we explain the arrangements made to preserve a fair review.
We aim to issue the Final Viewpoint Letter within 15 working days of receiving the review request. If an extension is necessary, we provide the same written explanation and revised target described at Stage 1.
The final letter states our conclusion and reasons, any remedy or next action, that our internal process is complete, and the contact details and referral conditions for Property Redress. It does not require you to accept the outcome or waive a legal right.
Timeline summary
| Stage | Target or applicable period |
|---|---|
| Acknowledge the complaint | Within 3 working days of receipt. |
| Initial investigation response | Within 15 working days of acknowledgement, or a reasoned extension before the deadline. |
| Request a final internal review | Within 28 calendar days of the Stage 1 response; reasonable late requests are considered. |
| Final Viewpoint Letter | Within 15 working days of the Stage 2 request, or a reasoned extension. |
| Independent redress | The published Property Redress criteria normally require at least 8 weeks for the member to investigate and a final response that remains disputed, or no response. The scheme determines eligibility. |
| Referral time limit | The scheme's published criteria require the last communication relating to the incident to be within the previous 12 months. Refer promptly and check the current rules; do not assume an indefinite extension. |
Keep a copy of the original complaint, our acknowledgements and responses. The initial complaint date remains important even where a matter moves between staff or internal stages. If you have received a final response sooner, you may contact the scheme for guidance on whether it will accept an earlier referral.
Your rights and our records
8.1 Legal position and settlement discussions
An apology, corrective action or goodwill proposal does not necessarily amount to an admission of legal liability. Equally, ordinary complaint correspondence is not automatically privileged or “without prejudice” merely because a policy uses those words. Any protection for genuine settlement discussions depends on the circumstances and applicable law.
Using this process does not remove a statutory right, stop a legal limitation period or prevent you from obtaining independent advice. We do not make investigation conditional on accepting a broad waiver of rights.
8.2 Complaint records
We retain the complaint, relevant evidence, investigation notes, responses, the outcome and any action taken. The normal retention period is 6 years after closure, subject to an applicable legal requirement or justified ongoing dispute. Access is limited to those who need the record.
We use proportionate complaint information to identify recurring issues, improve procedures and meet appropriate reporting duties. Training and review should use anonymised or minimised information where practical.
Referring your complaint independently
9.1 Property Redress
Property Redress can consider eligible unresolved complaints about its members. Its consumer service is free to use. You should first give us the opportunity to investigate and then provide the scheme with the complaint, relevant evidence and our responses.
- Our membership
- PRS046304
- Independent scheme
- Property Redress
- Website
- www.propertyredress.co.uk
- Telephone
- 0333 321 9418
- Address
- Limelight, 1st Floor, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1JH
The scheme's published entry criteria include allowing the member at least 8 weeks to investigate and ensuring that the last communication relating to the incident falls within the preceding 12 months. It decides whether a complaint is eligible, including where a final response is received earlier, and applies its current conditions and terms of reference.
9.2 Other relevant routes
- Deposit deductions: use the dispute route of the approved scheme named in your deposit documents.
- Personal information: you may contact the ICO about a data protection concern.
- Client money: Propertymark client money protection may be relevant to a qualifying loss, subject to its rules and the circumstances; it is not a substitute for every service complaint.
- Legal or housing disputes: a court, tribunal, local authority or independent adviser may provide the appropriate route.
Any statutory landlord ombudsman operates under its own commencement, membership and jurisdiction rules. This procedure does not claim that Wingate is a member of a future or separate landlord scheme, or that it replaces our existing agent redress route.
Unreasonable or abusive behaviour
We distinguish between a strongly expressed complaint and behaviour that creates a genuine problem. Criticism, persistence, disagreement or a need for additional support is not, by itself, unreasonable.
Threats, harassment, discriminatory abuse or repeated contact that substantially prevents the service from operating may require proportionate communication arrangements. These could include an agreed contact person, channel or frequency, while preserving a workable route for the complaint and urgent property matters.
Except where immediate safety requires action, we explain the concern, give an opportunity to adjust the behaviour, record the reasons for a restriction and tell you when it will be reviewed. We consider disability and other relevant circumstances. A restriction does not itself close a valid complaint or remove access to independent redress.
Confidentiality and data protection
We use complaint information to understand the concern, investigate it, respond, take any agreed action and meet relevant legal or regulatory requirements. It may be necessary to share relevant parts with the staff member concerned, an instructed adviser, insurer, landlord, supplier or redress body.
Only information necessary for the task is shared. We do not promise absolute secrecy where disclosure is needed to investigate fairly, but we protect unrelated personal information and explain the handling where appropriate. Our privacy notice provides further detail about rights, retention and contact arrangements.
Where a representative acts for you, we check their authority before sharing confidential material. You can change or withdraw that authority by telling us.
Accessibility and reasonable adjustments
Tell us how you would prefer to communicate and what assistance would make the process accessible. We consider reasonable adjustments throughout the investigation, not only when the complaint is first made.
A suitable format
For example, a clear written summary, larger text or an agreed telephone explanation.
A representative
An authorised family member, adviser or other representative can assist with the complaint.
An accessible meeting
A suitable location or remote discussion can be arranged where appropriate.
Reasonable flexibility
We consider additional time or an alternative method where a support need affects your ability to respond.
There is no charge for using this complaint procedure or requesting a reasonable adjustment. We agree practical arrangements with you and avoid asking for unnecessary sensitive evidence.
Company and regulatory details
- Registered company
- 15700396 · England and Wales
- Registered office
- 233 Regents Park Road, London, England, N3 3LF
- Property Redress
- PRS046304 · published certificate valid to 10 June 2027
- Client money protection
- Propertymark CMP · C0139849 · published certificate valid to 30 November 2026
- ICO registration
- ZB701860 · published certificate valid to 13 June 2027
Scheme membership and registration have specific purposes and terms. The dates above identify the validity periods shown on our published certificates. Relevant certificate information is available on request.
Updates to this procedure
We review the procedure when our arrangements, scheme requirements or applicable law change. The version and preparation date appear at the top of the page. A current copy is available without charge.
A change to the procedure will not be used to cancel a complaint already raised, reset an elapsed investigation period or remove an existing right. Where a change affects an open case, we explain the arrangements that will apply.
