We want to ensure that you have a really positive experience of using our advice services
Our Commitment To You
- Confidentiality – Citizens Advice Halton will provide you with a confidential advice service. This means we will not tell other people (even your family or friends) or other agencies about your visit or your issues. Please note however that we may have to disclose client information and break confidentiality in exceptional circumstances, for example if there is risk of harm.
- Respect – We will treat you fairly and respectfully. This means that we will not judge you or tell you what to do, nor we will treat one person more favourably than another
- Quality – Our trained advisers will give you their full attention. We will always have a team of supervisors available to oversee our work with you and to ensure that the advice you are given is of high quality
- Time – We give everyone one as much time as they need don’t rush our work. This means that you may have to wait before speaking to one of our advisers. However once it is your turn we will give you all the time you need
- Feedback and Complaints – We encourage feed-back on our service. Information about how to make a comment or a complaint is available at reception or from any of our team
What We Ask Of You
- Please behave in a way which is sensitive and respectful of the needs of other clients and our team. If your behaviour is disruptive, abusive or unreasonable we will discuss this with you and we may ask you to leave, change the method by which we engage with you or, in some circumstances, stop helping you completely. Our statement on how we handle unacceptable behaviour can be viewed here.
What You Can Expect As A Client of Citizens Advice
- Access To Our Services – You don’t need to make an appointment at one of our walk-in services. Nor do you need to book to use the telephone advice or email advice services as these are available on demand Monday – Friday. Full details of our services are available from anyone of our team and they are published on our website
- Gathering Information – During your interview we’ll take notes about you and your enquiry. We will ask your permission to store this information in our database, but you may remain anonymous if you wish
- Delivering Your Advice – At first we will be focused on making certain that we understand how we can help you. Once we have completed this assessment we will explain your options and next steps. It may be that you will need help from another adviser. Sometimes we will ask you to sit back in the waiting room until someone is available. Occasionally we may have to ask you to come back
- Conflict of Interests – Very occasionally we are asked to help people who are in dispute with each other. We will not help both parties because this creates a conflict of interest. If this situation arises we will signpost one of the parties to another source of help
- Paperwork – We may need to see original copies of your documents, for example a tenancy agreement. We will give you back all your original paperwork
- Waiting – We are always trying to reduce our waiting times. When we are busy you may wait for more than half an hour. We will do our best to give you an idea of how long you may be waiting and keep you informed at all times
- Customer Satisfaction – We want to make sure that you receive a high quality service from us. Sometimes we will ask you to give us feedback
Changing An Arrangement You Have With Us
- If you need to change an arrangement we have made with you please call our administration number: 0151 257 2449 or send us an Email by clicking here.
- Please note the administration number is a message receiving facility and is not for requesting an appointment. You don’t need an appointment to use our service you can drop in, telephone or email advice service (opening hours published on the website).