# Fundraising Regulator issues guidance on complaints handling following Code change

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/05/09/fundraising-regulator-issues-guidance-complaints-handling-following-code-change/
- Published: 2018-05-09T07:06:42+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The Fundraising Regulator has published new guidance on complaints handling coinciding
with a change to the Code of Fundraising Practice that has been made following a
consultation earlier this year.**

The [guidance](https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/information-registration-for-fundraisers/guidance/complaints-handling-guidance/)
aims to help charities and third party fundraising organisations deal with complaints
about fundraising appropriately, defining what a complaint is and outlining what
is expected of organisations when handling them.

The corresponding [change to the Code](https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/1-0-key-principles-behaviours/)
requires that organisations have a clear and publicly available complaints procedure
and that they investigate the complaint fairly, proportionately and without undue
delay.

## Advertisement

Both the change to the Code and the complaints handling guidance emphasise the need
for organisations to learn from the complaints they receive and apply the learning
to future fundraising activity. This supports the Regulator’s work to protect the
public from poor fundraising practice.

Michael Smyth, chair of the Fundraising Regulator Complaints and Investigations 
Committee said:

> “It’s become clear from some of the cases we have investigated that some organisations
> need to improve the way they deal with complaints from the public about their 
> fundraising practices. This guidance has been designed to help charities put in
> place an effective procedure to ensure any future complainant can settle their
> dispute with the charity directly.”

Suzanne McCarthy, chair of the Fundraising Regulator Standards Committee said:

> “The response we received to the consultation earlier this year was very supportive
> for the change we proposed to make on complaints handling. The guidance produced
> by the casework team will no doubt help fundraisers and charities comply with 
> this additional and important standard.”

 * **[Fundraising Regulator publishes new rules for online fundraising platforms](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/06/07/fundraising-regulator-publishes-new-rules-online-fundraising-platforms/)**(
   7 June 2018)
 * **[Fundraising Regulator opens consultation on Code of Fundraising Practice](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/09/10/fundraising-regulator-opens-consultation-code-fundraising-practice/)**(
   10 September 2018)
 * **[Charity Code of Digital Practice launches](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/11/15/charity-code-digital-practice-launches/)**(
   15 November 2018)

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