Service Expectations
Citizens Advice Corby & Kettering provides free, impartial, confidential advice and information to the communities within the North Northants area. Each person we advise is unique and our approach to helping you will be tailored to personal situations and needs.
What Clients Can Expect from our Service
All clients will have an initial 15-minute assessment appointment - this is for us to gather information and work out the best way to help you.
Confidential Advice
We will not tell anyone about your case and will not pass on anything from our records to anyone outside the Citizens Advice service without your permission, unless we are required to do so by law or it is the right and necessary thing to do. Our records are subject to quality checks. We will respect your data protection rights for any information you provide to us. Please ask to see our Privacy Policy if you would like to know more.
Follow-up Work
As agreed between your adviser and yourself. This may include negotiating by letter or phone on your behalf with other bodies, we will expect you to sign a 'form of authority' to allow us to do this. Unless we have specific instructions from you, we shall discuss any offer with you before accepting it, this is subject that you comply with what we expect from you.
A Clear and Honest Complaints Procedure
Available if you are not satisfied with the service the office has provided. If you wish to complain, please ask for the leaflet on how to do so.
Limitations
We cannot guarantee to take on all cases, even if someone is already a client. We may also have to stop advising you if we believe we cannot make progress on your case for you or there is no further good outcome that can be gained, or if you do not do what we expect of you (see over).
What We Expect from our Clients
We will always try to do our best for our clients, in order for us to do this we expect our clients:
To always treat our staff and volunteers with courtesy and respect.
To keep appointments that you have made with us or let us know in advance if you can’t make it.
To inform the office of any changes in your circumstances (such as change of address, birth of a child, additional income etc.) which may be relevant to your case.
To bring in all the papers relevant to your case which your adviser asks for. This includes notification of court/tribunal dates etc.
Not to negotiate on your own behalf without discussing it first with your adviser.
Not to turn down an offer from the other party which your adviser considers reasonable in the circumstances in order to have a tribunal or court hearing.
To provide written evidence of your income, debts or other financial matters where appropriate. Your adviser will let you know what is needed.
To follow our advice – unless you and your adviser agree you should do something different.
To be honest with us about the circumstances of your case, for instance by telling us about all your debts and income or what led up to your being asked to leave your employment.
We reserve the right to stop advising you if:
you turn down a reasonable offer from the other party because you wish to take the matter to a tribunal or court hearing. Your adviser will discuss with you whether an offer is reasonable in the circumstances.
you do not follow our expectations listed here.