Dissatisfied? Here is how you can complain about anything to do with the Students' Union

Whether you are a student or staff member at Birkbeck or not, you have the right to submit a formal written complaint detailing your dissatisfaction with your dealings or services provided by the Students' Union.

Additionally, if you are a student at Birkbeck, you have the right to complain about democratic services, such as elections, officers (their conduct and performance), clubs, societies (and their officers), allocation of subsidy to student groups, and anything this is governed by the rules.

We want to address your concerns, so if possible, we will try to meet your complaint and settle things informally. We want to make sure that the service we are delivering not only meets your expectations but exceeds them. Sadly, we know we don't always get things right, but we do want to honestly and fairly make things right.

If we cannot resolve matters informally, or the complaint cannot be dealt with this way, then you need to lodge a formal written complaint:

Download a Guide to Complaints (including flowcharts)

Download a Complaint Submission Form (docx)

All complaints are notionally submitted to the Chair of Trustees (except for complaints about the Chair of Trustees which are either sent to the Treasurer or the Chair of Council). All complaints are administratively handled at the first stage by the General Manager or a staff member that he appoints by email to complaints@birkbeckunion.org

All complaints must be made in writing by email to complaints@birkbeckunion.org (or in the ways set down on the Complaint Submission Form (above)). All complaints will be acknowledged within five working days. The full procedure is set down in the Guide to Complaints (above) and is governed by the Complaint Procedures & Disciplinary Regulations (which are made in accordance with the Union's Bye-Laws).

A complaint that is concerning the performance or conduct of an elected student officer or representative may be determined by a investigation sending a "motion of no confidence" to the Council (or to the Trustee Board depending on the nature of the misconduct). This is because the Students' Union is a member-led democratic organisation bound by the Memorandum & Articles of Association.