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Our customer charter

Our standards

Contact with staff

  • Our staff will identify themselves by name in all correspondence, on the telephone and when they meet you. They will be courteous and adopt a professional approach at all times.

Response to enquiries

  • We aim to answer telephone calls promptly. If the person you speak to is unable to deal with your enquiry, we will arrange for the right person to call you back as soon as possible.
  • When we are out of the office for more than 1 working day, our voicemail and email messages will say when to expect us back and provide an alternative contact for urgent issues.
  • We aim to deal with questions arising from telephone enquiries within two working days. If a complete reply will take longer, we will let you know why and when you can expect a full reply.
  • We aim to respond to written correspondence (whether by letter, fax or e-mail) in full within 15 working days. If a complete reply will take longer, we will let you know why and when you can expect a full reply.
  • Fera's Government Decontamination Service (GDS) will be available to respond following CBRN or major HAZMAT incident on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year.

Appointments

  • We always aim to be at appointments on time. If delayed we will do our best to keep you updated on the situation.
  • If we have to rearrange a meeting we will contact you as soon as any change becomes necessary.

Confidentiality

  • Within the constraints imposed by any relevant legislation, we will guarantee confidentiality wherever necessary.

Agreeing customer requirements

In preparing complex research and development or service contracts we will:

  • Explore in detail your specific needs.
  • Agree a project plan, setting out a timetable, the milestones, the type and format of reports to be generated.
  • Provide a written quotation for the work within an agreed time.
  • Ensure you are kept fully informed on progress and agree with you any necessary changes or variations.
  • On delivery of reports, ask for your feedback on the quality of our service.

How we fulfil our statutory duties

Changes to plant health requirements

  • When plant health requirements change as a result of legislation or operational factors to address new risks, such changes will be published on Fera's website.
  • When serious plant pests and diseases are found information will be made available on Fera's website.
  • Changes to the requirements for Seed Certification, National Listing and Plant Breeders Rights will be notified though information letters and the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette as appropriate, using email and Fera's website.

Fees

  • Where charges are made for statutory and voluntary scheme work, you will be advised of the likely cost before the work is carried out.
  • We are committed to carrying out our duties in an efficient manner so that the cost of compliance with statutory and voluntary scheme requirements is kept to a minimum.

Bee Inspections

  • Please refer to the 'Statutory procedures for controlling honey bee pests and diseases' leaflet available on the BeeBase website at www.nationalbeeunit.com.

Plant Health Inspections

  • All inspectors carry identification and business cards.
  • Advice from an Inspector will be confirmed in writing on request. Legal requirements will be distinguished clearly from advice on best practice.
  • Before formal enforcement action is taken, Inspectors will provide an opportunity to discuss the case, unless immediate statutory action is required.
  • If immediate statutory action is necessary, an explanation will be given at the time and confirmed in writing within 10 working days.

Consultations

Access to information

  • Fera is a "public authority" under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. Fera conforms to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Public Records Act 1967 and the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 (PSI Regs). The Fera Information Asset Register (IAR) lists information held by the agency which can be accessed via Inforoute at www.opsi.gov.uk/iar/search.aspx. Fera's information is subject to Crown copyright, which is administered by the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI). Full details of our obligations are available on Fera's website at: www.defra.gov.uk/fera/aboutUs/socialResponsibility.cfm.

Response to complaints

  • If you contact us with a complaint, we will send an acknowledgement immediately. We will send a full response within 10 working days, unless we need to investigate further. In these cases, we will let you know when you can expect a full reply. Full details of our complaints procedure are available on Fera's website at www.defra.gov.uk/fera/aboutUs/customerCharter/complaints.cfm.
  • Complaints will be handled under our ISO 9001:2008 certification and used as an opportunity to improve our service.

Contact us

  • If you are happy with our service, please tell us. It helps us to identify good practice and encourages our staff. If you are not satisfied with our service, please let us know so we can improve it.