Making a complaint

REC members are recognised for their professionalism and the value they provide to clients and candidates – a standard we maintain through a dedication to compliance, ethics and professionalism.

If you have a complaint about an REC member and believe that they may have breached the REC Code our Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure requires you to take the following steps.

Stage 1 – Complain directly to the agency

All REC members should have their own complaints procedure in place, which is easily accessible, and you should ask the agency for a copy. This document will explain how they handle complaints and the expected timescales for a response. If you decide to make a complaint, be sure to include the name of the person you are complaining about, the nature of the complaint, the date of the incident and your desired outcome.

Stage 2 - Complain to the REC

At the conclusion of the agency’s complaints procedure if you believe the response does not resolve the issue, you can raise a complaint with the REC by completing our complaint form. Please ensure any documentary evidence is attached as our decision on how to proceed with your complaint will be based on the information you provide.

Stage 3- Processing the complaint

We will acknowledge an emailed complaint form on receipt and aim to review within 15 working days. After the review, a member of our complaints team will contact you and will inform you if a formal investigation by the REC we will be carried out. If we decide a formal investigation isn’t necessary, we will advise you of any other options available to you if appropriate.

Please note: We cannot accept anonymous complaints, and a complaint must be made within six months of the event taking place. We do not normally investigate a complaint whilst there are legal proceedings planned or ongoing. Please read our Legal Fact Sheet. The complaints procedure requires full disclosure, which means if the complaint is taken forward, the agency will see what you have written, and you will see the agency’s response.