This form is for customers who wish to make a complaint about plumbing or heating work carried out by a SNIPEF member. 

What we can investigate

SNIPEF can investigate the following complaints provided they are substantiated:

• Installation defects where a lack of technical competence shown by the installation company is an issue. Please note that we are not able to deal with disputes relating to product defects that are outside the manufacturer warranty period.
• Contract disputes between a member and a customer (e.g. substantiated claims that work has not carried out in line with specifications or drawings). Please note that SNIPEF is not able to provide comment on cost or time taken to complete work.
• Disputes relating to poor customer service which breach the requirements of the SNIPEF Rules.

What we cannot investigate

We are not able to deal with complaints that involve:

• Product faults that fall under the manufacturer's warranty
• Disputes about contracts between you and the business, such as pricing or agreements
• The cost of work or the time taken to complete it
• Business-to-business complaints. Complaints about commercial or business work are not covered under this scheme.
• Claims for compensation, as SNIPEF does not award financial compensation
• Cases that are being handled by the courts or another dispute resolution provider
• Complaints made more than six years after the work was carried out
• Work carried out by a business that was not a SNIPEF member at the time the work was undertaken
• Work that has already been rectified or completed by another company
• Complaints relating to commercial or business work are not covered under this scheme.

The SNIPEF Member company may be asked to attend the work location during any site inspections, and the customer must be prepared to allow the SNIPEF Member company to come back to rectify the work.

If the customer does not allow the company to return to the work location, we may not be able to take the complaint further.

Before completing this form

Please make sure the following steps have been taken: 

1. Confirm that the plumbing or heating business is a current SNIPEF member. You can check this online at needaplumber.org. If they are not a SNIPEF member, you can contact Citizens Advice Scotland or Citizens Advice Northern Ireland. 
2. Raise the complaint directly with the business first, using their complaints procedures and putting it in writing where possible, before contacting SNIPEF.
3. Allow the business at least 10 working days to respond to your complaint.
4. Ensure the complaint relates to domestic work. Complaints about commercial or business work are not covered under this scheme.

Submitting evidence

Please include as much relevant information as possible when completing this form. If you have supporting evidence such as photographs, quotations or invoices, these should be attached to this form or sent to complaints@snipef.org. Please include your name in the subject line of the email.